Sorry for the long wait Kiratori, finally got an idea of where to go next. I should have another one ready soon, but no promises.

~Sometime after his assassinations~

The Battosai was found awaiting sunrise on the roof of the nest of Mibu wolves, or rather Kiirie was. Which was where Saitou found her after he met up with the elder wolves, her eyes were bloodshot and it looked as if she was determined not to fall asleep. Saitou sat down next to her eyeing the sun with slight worry, he wasn't about to touch her when she was so upset. He didn't want to be a pile of blood guts.

"Did anything else happen?" Saitou asked, the red head turned her head and looked at him with a tired expression.

"No… I went and saw my sensei. He was most displeased with me for the lapse in judgment," she responded with an amused expression, "in more words than that seeing as it is sensei and all."

"Did he have anything useful to say?" Saitou watched the expressions play out on her face, Kiirie's face held an emotion he wanted to call fondness.

"Sort of, he agreed with some of the steps I have taken to protect myself, but still," she paused looking over towards where Saitou knew the Choshu's hidden base was, "he thinks I should take care of some of the matters more personally than I am. Like the traitor that is trying to get me killed in the Choshu camp, but others he says I should distance myself from. He doesn't particularly know how caught up I am with the Mibu on any which direction I turn, but he doesn't trust any of your lot."

"Wise of him to think that way," Saitou commented, "most wolves wouldn't think twice about spilling your guts across the floor prior to that big reveal. You should rest now, and take action when night falls, it would be suspicious for you to be spotted at anytime on a roof as this disguise of yours." Kiirie spared him a soft glance of annoyance before allowing him to remove her from the roof.

"Now I remember why I chose to have a male form for so long…" she muttered returning to his room, putting on slight airs as she went. Saitou had to resist the urge to shake his head and laugh at the act. There was however a major problem arising, and one that might have the Battosai back in her own camp before he could blink. They were now experiencing issues of their plans leaking, and Saitou knew what that entailed, a detailed search of every unit's quarters. None of the wolves wanted the search since the heir was among them, but it was bound to happen. Saitou's concerns were proven as one such inspector appeared midway through his afternoon meeting.

The Battosai was probably asleep in his quarters, and it was strictly forbidden to bring anyone in, let alone leave them unsupervised for long periods of time. He didn't have a choice seeing as current meeting was a huge debriefing amongst several of the captains, then individual units. Besides, the Battosai refused to participate in their events as the Shoganate units, as the heir she was entitled to her own opinion on the war and could forcibly turn them all to her side with a simple command. She had declined, saying it was man's place to change man's world, that their place as creatures of the night was to uphold fair standards to both sides.

Saitou's opinion of the Battosai's decisions was clear, he respected her desire not to be involved in a country wide takeover. The fact she had also given her word not to provide details to the Choshu about their actions, and had kept it was also impressive in his eyes. Yes, she was the enemy in the terms she still assassinated key members of their party, but those were under fair terms she had already laid out with them. They were expected, but this…

"Third squad, your quarters are up for inspection. You will be escorted to your rooms and be present during these searches. If you are found to be the traitor, your life will be in the hands of your commander. Captain?" the Mibu inspector turned to him. Saitou nodded with a grim face, he didn't want to know what the Battosai was going to think when she was rudely awakened for this…

He lead the group of men back to their quarters nestled on the outer portion of the Mibu grounds. He attempted to read the Battosai's chi, and found she was actually asleep. He inwardly cringed as they opened the hallway door, she was going to be pissed…

"Stand outside your rooms, we shall inspect them individually starting with the lower officers. You will remain outside your rooms as the searches are conducted, if we find anything suspicious you will be questioned accordingly," the Mibu inspector's voice gave Saitou the distinct impression he had been given a lead to look in their quarters for the leak. As the searches progressed Saitou could feel his blood pressure rising, when they finally reached his room he was about ready to snap. Three of his men had been found with questionable items, and a fourth had been ordered to slay the prostitute he had brought in.

When the door to Saitou's room was opened the inspector lifted an eyebrow, he searched the room first, ignoring the Battosai who was curled up on one side of the room looking vaguely comfortable that way. After his inspection he repeated the routine he had done with the other woman, he grabbed the Battosai's hair and yanked her to her feet. Saitou swore under his breath as the Battosai looked murderous, he watched her chi flare discretely, but realized that she had figured out what was going on.

"Dispose of the wretch captain, you were told to leave your pursuits where you found them," the inspector instructed impatiently. Saitou watched the amusement cross the Battosai's face as she realized what the man was implying. Not that the idea didn't humor him as well, but…

"Sir…" Saitou started to protest, looking to the Battosai for some sort of help in the manner. She was shoved into his chest, and acted as if she were shocked. Then he heard the slow whisper, the one the Battosai made that the others would mistake for a whimper.

"Snap my neck," she instructed quickly, "I'll take care of this, seeing as I caused this problem for myself." Saitou looked at the expression she was making and frowned. If that was what the Battosai wanted… It could certainly be arranged, but wouldn't that hurt? Regardless he almost felt bad as he snapped the Battosai's neck.

"Let that be a lesson to you," the inspector ground out, "I expected better from you at the very least Captain Saitou."

"Good thing he follows orders then," the red head responded from the floor before snapping her head back into place. The blood dribbled out of the right bottom corner of her lip slowly, she stood up and grinned psychotically. Saitou felt his blood run cold, he hadn't realized what a… masochist the Battosai could be.

"What the hell?" the inspector breathed, Battosai motioned for them to block his exit. Her face turned to a firm one, "just what are you?"

"That is none of your business, what is your business is that I am no threat to Mibu. I am a guest of your supernatural unit," she explained, "my name is Kiirie. Your life is in my hands now inspector, you killed the whores in this den of wolves and they were clean. I suggest that be your story, if you breathe a word otherwise your wolves will eat you alive."

"I'm… I'm not…. Not afraid of you," the man spat out.

"Clearly," the Battosai snorted, "run along now, and not a word."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Saito asked her, Kiirie nodded. The inspector ran off quietly, and Saito let a low whistle out, "what are you going to use him for?"

"He's a pet for you," she answered turning around to look at the rest of the wolves, "well what are you waiting for? I am going back to sleep and you have work to do. Contrary to the belief I do need my beauty sleep." He left the Battosai there and continued onto the meeting that the inspector was holding.

"My reports are as follows, all the units that I have checked today were clean," the man said looking towards their superiors firmly. He refused to look Saito in the eye.

"I do have some information that I would like share," Saito spoke softly, some of them looked a little on edge. They had realized he was the head of one of their supernatural units by now, but they weren't sure just where he was in the food chain.

"Captain Saito, your unit had some suspicious possessions we were told, but those items given your unit's true nature I'm sure were reasonable. What is it you have to share with us?" one of his commanders commented.

"Those items were checked by me, I assure you that the leak is not in my unit. The information comes from a reliable source," he assured them, "the imperialists are having troubles of their own with leaks." His commander looked rather unsurprised, but the next question that was equally unsurprising.

"How reliable is your source?" he asked looking at Saito.

"I would place my life on the line for this particular source sir," Saito answered instantly.

"We shall continue to rely on your source then," his commander spoke evenly.