The hole was small.  In the summer, it allowed mosquitoes, newly hatched from the tiny stream that meandered underneath all of the buildings of the Daimyo's estate and fed his personal lake, to enter the dungeon.  In the winter, the bloodsucking bugs were replaced by the near constant fog formed from the same stream.  It was, altogether, an unpleasant hole; one that was left alone due to the fact that it was small, and it added to the dungeon's already evil atmosphere.

            Unfortunately for the reputation of Aizu's dungeon, one of the many prisoners housed there had been just small enough, just flexible enough, to use the hole as a means of escape.  Still, in the week since that escape, nothing had been done about the hole; the rationale being that no one else in the dungeon was remotely capable of escaping that way, and what fool in his right mind would try to break into the dungeons?

Yahiko, naked and shivering in the cold pre-dawn air, waited on one of the dungeon's stilts, cursing himself for a fool, wondering how he'd let Saitou talk him into this idiocy.  He listened at the hole until he knew exactly how many guards were on duty and their exact locations, before silently cursing, wriggling, twisting and contorting his way back through the hole into the dread building.  He thanked the Kami that the Shogun's visit meant that there were so few guards on duty as a loud gasp reached his ears.  "Oi, Yahiko," a voice hissed, "we thought you'd be dead by now.  What the hell are you doing back here?"  Yahiko glared at the long-haired young man called Katsu as he took Saitou's wakizashi from his teeth.

"Just for that, dumb ass, you're the last person I untie," Yahiko hissed back.  "For your information, the Shogun is here in Aizu, and we have a plan to make the Daimyo lose face."  There was wary murmuring from the prisoners tied in various torturous poses. 

"You're lying," someone else whispered. "The Shogun wouldn't have anything to do with a little gutter-snipe thief like you."  A chorus of murmuring agreements met this statement.  Yahiko frowned, indignant.

"I'm not lying; I'll have you know that my father was a great samurai in the Shogun's armies, but that's beside the point.  I never said it was the Shogun's plan.  Saitou Hajime is back in Aizu; he and Himura Kenshin plan to make sure that Shibumi faces justice."

"Wait," Katsu interrupted, "you know Saitou Hajime, the former Captain?  Tall man; scary yellow eyes; rides a big black horse named 'Horse'?"   Yahiko nodded as the prisoners began muttering again.  "…don't trust him…it's a trap…we'll all be killed… Himura and Saitou hate each other, why would they work together…"

"They are working together to help Sagara Sanosuke…" Yahiko tried to say over the den of the doubters.  Katsu blanched at Sano's name.

"Sanosuke was my friend," Katsu said to Yahiko.  "All of you shut up, and let the kid talk," Katsu hissed.  Yahiko nodded to him gratefully, deciding that Katsu wouldn't be the last freed after all, as the others quieted down.

"Look, we don't have a lot of time," Yahiko told his captive audience.  "I didn't have to come back here, you know.  Hell, no one in his right mind would come back here after escaping.  But I don't know of a person in here who wouldn't like to bring Shibumi down, and I believe that this is the best way.  I'm sure you've noticed that there are only a few guards here right now.  If I cut you free, you can overpower them and escape," he turned to Katsu, "and I'm not a kid." 

"And how will this help bring Shibumi down?" Katsu asked, ignoring him, looking pensive.

"Since we'll have tied the guards up, we will be in control of when the alarm sounds.  Almost everybody will be long gone by the time Shibumi knows anything is wrong; and we will make sure that the Daimyo finds out in the middle of his important meeting with the Shogun."

"I'm in," Katsu said as the other prisoners started quietly debating among themselves.  "What do we have to lose?" he asked the others as Yahiko sliced through the ropes binding him.  He shook his limbs to get the blood flowing again.

"Our lives?" someone called, facetiously.  Someone else snickered.  Yahiko cast a glare around the room, but Katsu spoke before he got the chance.

"Only if you call this 'living,'" he said sternly.  There were murmurs of agreement, and if any of the other prisoners didn't want to escape, he hid it well.

***

            If Usui had had eyes at the moment, he was sure that they would be rolling.  It seemed as if every tatami mat in Aizu covered the plank floors of Shibumi's large room of state; and he knew that if he moved the wrong way, he would knock over some ridiculous arrangement of winter grasses that Shibumi had fussed over. Underneath the plaintive notes of the samisen, Usui could hear the bored breathing of Shibumi's latest geisha boy/bed-warmer as he plucked indifferently at the strings.

As it was, even Usui tuned out Shibumi's droning recitation of some obscure Court welcoming poem, and instead focused all of his considerable attention upon the Shogun, Hiko Seijuurou. Usui could tell that the only part of Aizu's hospitality that impressed the Emperor's emissary was the copious amounts of early morning sake; and as impassive as he seemed, if his heartbeat and his teeth grinding meant anything, Hiko was impatient to get down to business.  However, despite the cloud of sake fumes rolling from the Shogun, Usui's 'Eye of the Heart' could tell that the man was not in the least impaired.

Much to the collective relief of everyone in the room, Shibumi's long winded ceremony wound to its conclusion after another quarter of an hour.  Usui smirked to himself as everyone from the courtiers in Hiko's party to the geisha who'd been playing the samisen subtly shifted and sighed.

"You are a follower of the latest trends in Heian-kyo, I see," Hiko's deep voice said as the last note shivered out of existence.  Usui stifled a sigh as he listened to Shibumi flush with pride at the acknowledgement of his 'Courtliness.'  Hiko's words had been polite, but the Captain of Aizu's guard could hear a trap being laid, and he cursed the day that he tied his fate to Shibumi's.

"It is the duty of every civilized man to bring the beauty, art and manners of our glorious Emperor to the vulgar common people in the hinterlands," Shibumi preened.

"Ah, I see," Hiko said, and Usui was sure that he couldn't be alone in hearing the smirk in the Shogun's voice.  "I am but a simple soldier, Lord Shibumi, rarely blessed with the opportunity to participate in such spectacle, since the Emperor often sends me away from the City of Peace and Tranquility to deal with military problems," Hiko said in a falsely wistful tone.  "I do find it odd, however, that you, being such a devotee of the culture of the Capital would be so remiss in paying your share for its defense.  Would you care to explain your actions?"  The courtiers, scandalized, murmured behind their fans at the Shogun's candor.  Usui bit his tongue to stop himself from laughing at Shibumi's sputtered attempt at a denial.  If his future had not been bound to that of the Lord of Aizu, then he would have found Hiko Seijuurou's unseemly directness to be refreshing.  Usui was wondering exactly how he should step in to save Shibumi's ass, when the manor bell began to sing out, quickly echoed by the gongs and bells of Aizu proper.  The courtiers' murmurs grew louder; the Shogun's demeanor, however, was amused.

"Usui!" Shibumi hissed unnecessarily since Usui was already making his way toward the door.  He quickly slid back the screen, startling the guard who had been working up his courage to knock.

"Well, what is the alarm about?" Usui asked coldly, as he listening to the man's galloping heartbeat as the guard bowed and struggled to regain his composure.

"Sir!  More prisoners have escaped from the dungeon," Moriyama said tensely.  "Shindou Tatewaki is rounding up all of the guards who were searching for spies to go after them."  Usui dismissed Shibumi's pained groan as it became obvious that Moriyama was not finished.

"And?"  Moriyama flushed with alarmed excitement.

"Sir, Captain Saitou Hajime is here and has issued a challenge to the Daimyo."  Usui smirked, feeling the stirring of his own blood at young guard's words.

"This is all his doing!  Why didn't you kill him?"  Shibumi fairly shrieked at Moriyama.  The Daimyo smelled of fear and anger.  Usui pushed his way past the young soldier, as he abased himself on the tatami. 

"My Lord, I have neither the rank nor the stature to accept a challenge from Captain Saitou. . ."  Usui found himself frowning at the respect in Moriyama's voice; it was long past the time that he removed the former Captain of Aizu's guard from this life.

***

The sight that met Shibumi's, the Shogun's and the courtiers' eyes as they filed out onto the wide, covered veranda that faced the estate's courtyard and lake, made the Daimyo's blood run cold.  Saitou Hajime, in full armor, bowed at the waist toward the Shogun as he sat astride his big black horse in the middle of the courtyard, a sneer on his thin lips.  To the far side of the courtyard Usui was already mounting his equally impressive dapple gray horse.  Shibumi scanned the strangely dark but clear blue skies for a glimpse of the eagle that he knew should be close by without success.

"I've been waiting for this day, Saitou Hajime," Usui called out in a voice that carried over the excited whispers of the courtiers.  "Your life was forfeit the moment you stepped foot within Aizu's borders.  I'll glory in being the instrument that sends you to hell for breaking faith with the Daimyo."  For a moment, Shibumi was proud that the blind man owed his allegiance to him; however, the Shogun's deep, sarcastic voice brought him back to reality.

"He's a bit melodramatic, don't you think?" Hiko asked facetiously, raising his sake cup to his lips.  Shibumi ignored the irritating man as Saitou wheeled his horse toward Usui.

"Step aside, Uonuma Usui.  Words of honor have no business in the mouth of a bully who kills for the joy of killing.  No man of honor would knowingly serve a Daimyo who beggars his own people to enrich himself."  Shibumi found himself flushing as Saitou's words, seemingly chosen to enflame Usui, and filled the courtyard.  Saitou directed his narrow amber glare at the Daimyo.  "Nor will I accept the justice of a man who abuses his power by threatening and murdering people under his care in order to force himself upon a child who had sense enough to reject him."

"He lies!  I am the Daimyo, why would anyone reject me?" Shibumi found himself shouting, as his mind's eye saw his all of his careful plans, along with his entire world, crumbling around him; even the winter bright sky seemed to dim.  The Shogun raised a derisive eyebrow as he unsheathed the shorter of his swords and handed it to the Daimyo.

"Only a fool would proclaim such things in front of witnesses without evidence, my Lord of Aizu.  So, it becomes a trial by combat, a matter for the Kami to decide," Hiko said coolly.  Shibumi stared down at the surprisingly heavy wakizashi.  "However, if your man loses, then you should do the honorable thing."

"Kill him, Usui!"   Shibumi shouted, ignoring the sword in his hand.  His champion needed no urging.  The gray horse reared and began charging as Usui lifted his weighted spear.

Shibumi, of course, had known of Usui's prowess with his chosen weapon and his absolute ruthlessness; those were the reasons that he had made the blind man the Captain of his guards in the first place.  However, not being a warrior himself, he had not appreciated, until now, the brutally efficient grace of the man.  Twice the two Captains clashed, their horses fighting as hard as their masters: rearing, kicking, and biting as the two men battled.  Twice they separated; Saitou's katana deflecting Usui's spear enough to save his life, but not enough to avoid being wounded: a slash across his left thigh, and a slice across his right arm.  Usui himself was unscathed.

Usui turned his horse at the far end of the courtyard and laughed.  "Where is your talk of honor now, Saitou?" Usui asked mockingly.  Saitou said nothing, slumping slightly in his saddle in response.  "Is this the best you can do?" Usui's voice turned deadly serious.  "Then prepare to die, because my 'Eye of the Heart' can see every move you plan to make."  Shibumi allowed himself a broad smile; too often he had been on the receiving end of Usui's taunts, and he knew that now his Captain was through toying with their enemy.  Usui kicked the gray horse into a full gallop as Saitou sat motionless, shoulders wilted in defeat, waiting for his inevitable death. 

Whatever taunt Usui shouted as he closed in on Aizu's former Captain was lost to the observers on the veranda beneath the thunder of the gray's hooves.  Suddenly, at the last possible second, almost quicker than the eyes could see, the black horse, seemingly on his own volition, danced aside.  Saitou, standing in the stirrups, used his horse's pirouette to add momentum to his strike, sending Usui's head from his body like that of a low class criminal.  Shibumi blinked, his grin vanishing.

"Pathetic bully," Saitou said into the awed silence that had fallen among the observers as Usui's body fell, twitching, from his horse.  He nudged the black horse into a spirited trot across the courtyard and up the shallow steps of the veranda.  The Shogun turned to Shibumi.

"Well?" 

Shibumi, desperate under the aloof stares of Shogun and the courtiers, began to pray.

"Oni…oni!  Hear my plea.  The heart of Aizu is beset by enemies.  As Aizu's master, I demand you lend me your strength to defeat our foes."  The Shogun drew his katana.

"You dare…" was all he was able to say as, unexpectedly, the sun disappeared and the blanket of stars shone down upon Aizu.  The winter birds in the courtyard trees fell silent as screams and wails of despair from those on the veranda, and from those in the city itself, greeted the new night, and whispers of "…the oni... the oni has taken the sun…" reached Shibumi's ears. 

Several courtiers gasped and screamed again, and several began hurriedly scrambling away from the far side of the veranda and the huge, three-eyed, blue-skinned Oni who had manifested himself there with a roar and swinging of his massive club.  Shibumi smiled triumphantly:  there was no one who could stand against him.

***

Sano flapped his wings and let out an undignified squawk of surprise as he felt the change come upon his body.  He had become intimately attuned to the passage of time over the past two years, and knew that it was much too soon in the day for this to be happening; something was wrong.  He quickly hopped from the perched he'd found for himself to the floor; it would be stupid of him to break his legs in an unnecessary fall. 

The change itself, usually almost instantaneous, was slow, but once completed, he looked around the room with human eyes, searching for a way to complete his interrupted task.  As he had changed, he'd heard the alarm bells and gongs, and listened as those guarding the door had been called away, so he knew that he wouldn't be interrupted, and this being Shibumi's trysting room, he knew that there was bound to be a knife (or two) here, somewhere:  the man didn't trust anyone enough for there not to be one.

The room was more cluttered than he remembered it being, but he easily found Shibumi's knife.  He sighed as he picked it up, wondering briefly how to make the most of his death.  He swiftly decided that Shibumi finding his bloody corpse on his trysting futon wouldn't cause the Daimyo to lose enough face; he would definitely need witnesses.  Sano quickly put on the 'borrowed' yukata, picked up his jesses, and upon sliding the door open, started in surprise.  Kenshin stood there, dirty, with his blood red hair blackened with soot, looking just as surprised as Sano felt, hand raised to open the door.

"Sano," the wanderer said breathlessly as he grabbed Sano's wrist.  "I'm so glad... we need to hurry, that we do."

"Kenshin, what are you doing here?" Sano asked, taking his arm back.  Kenshin blinked.  "I have to do this.  Don't try to stop me…"

"Sano, you don't understand, that you don't.  Saitou is here in Aizu.  If you can get to him in time, the curse will be broken, that it will."

"And if I kill myself, the curse will be broken… you know what I did, what I said to him, Kenshin.  It's better this way."

"Sano, the eclipse is happening now!  You wouldn't be human right now if you and Saitou didn't love each other, that you wouldn't.  Saitou loves you, that he does," Kenshin seemed to stumble slightly over the words, "and this is the only chance you'll ever have to set things right, to make sure justice is done, but you can't be afraid to take a chance." Kenshin's voice deepened, losing all of its politeness as he glared at the knife.  "My Sanosuke would never take such an easy way out."  Sano flinched at the accusation, and examining the words from all angles, rapidly came to a realization.

"Saitou isn't the only one in Aizu who loves me, is he?" he asked quietly.  Kenshin smiled sadly and shook his head.

"You made your choice two years ago, when you went to him for help, that you did.  And I think…I think you made the right decision, that I do.  I just want to see you happy."  Sano kissed his friend's scarred cheek to assuage the shimmer of sadness he saw in the Wanderer's eyes.

"Maybe in another lifetime," he whispered softly; then he squared his shoulders.  Too many people had sacrificed too much for him as it was.  He vowed that their sacrifices would not be in vain.  "Alright then, Kenshin, let's finish this," he said resolutely, sweeping his way from the room.

"Maybe in another lifetime," he thought he heard Kenshin whisper from behind him.

***

Saitou slid from Horse's back, and ignoring the scowling, floating blue demon, at his back, drew his katana and stalked forward with death in his eyes.  "The Shogun has offered you an honorable death.  I would take it if I were you Shibumi; for if I kill you, you will die like the dog you are."

            The Daimyo looked down upon the Shogun's wakizashi in his hand and laughed.

            "My friend and I," he said, pointing at the demon, "don't think you will do it, Saitou.  You already know his wrath.  Besides, if you kill me, the curse will never end.  You really must think of Sanosuke."

            "Sanosuke is dead!"  Saitou growled, raising his sword further.  "Didn't you hear?  Before he died, Usui said that he had killed him!" He stepped menacingly toward Shibumi.  "The curse is over!"  Saitou's sword hummed through the air.  Shibumi stood his eyes wide with shock.

            "Saitou, no!" Himura's voice screeched into the silence of the court.

            "Hajime, stop!" a low voice that he hadn't heard with his human ears in over two years, that he never thought to hear again on this side of life, growled from behind him in the same instant.  Saitou's sword froze a fraction from Shibumi's neck, but Saitou didn't turn around, or move from his stance.  He watched Sanosuke's progress by the width of Shibumi's eyes, and the indrawn breaths of the courtiers. 

            A soft, sliding touch on his sword arm was his only indication that Sanosuke had reached him.  He didn't take his eyes off of Shibumi, however.

            "Hajime," Sanosuke sighed the name like a prayer for Saitou's ears alone as he slipped the sword from Saitou's suddenly nerveless fingers.  Saitou watched as the boy passed him, back straight, sword form perfect, thinking, 'When did he learn that?  He never knew it before,' watched as the too short yukata exposed the boy's calves.  The disk of the Moon god, now sliding from the face of the Sun goddess, was less graceful than Sanosuke at that moment. 

The birds greeted the second dawn of the day as the stars slowly faded from the sky.

***

            Shibumi watched, with hope warring with despair in his heart, as Sagara Sanosuke took the katana from Saitou's hand with a small smile.  The boy was taller than he remembered, and even wearing an obviously stolen yukata, with his hair untamed, he looked better than any dream could have foretold in the strangely crisp half-light of the returning sun.  Unfortunately Shibumi's gaze strayed from the beauty before him to the hard eyes of Saitou Hajime, whose presence in Aizu ended the curse.  However, the silent oni, huge, blue-skinned and hideous, watching, arms across his chest, in the vacated corner, reassured him that he was still the master of Aizu and everything in it; that not Saitou, not even the Shogun could oppose his will in the seat of his power.  He vowed to deal with the Emperor's insufferable envoy once Saitou was taken care of.

            His awareness focused on Sanosuke's sparkling brown eyes as the boy gazed at him through his long sooty lashes; and in a gesture that caused Shibumi's blood to pool in his groin, Sanosuke unhurriedly licked the perfect bow of his lip.  Shibumi couldn't help but smiled; he had been right of course, all of those years ago, when he had first seen the boy:   Sanosuke was one of those extremely rare people whose suffering and sorrow made them transcendently beautiful.  Everyone on the veranda held his or her breath.

Shibumi's heart continued to pound in his chest as Sanosuke bowed gracefully before him, giving him his due as his lord and lover.  "Sanosuke, I always knew that you would return to where you belonged:  to me, in Aizu," he whispered to the object of his desire; and turning to the assembled courtiers, Shibumi decided to show his own wit and graciousness with a quick poem to mark the occasion.  "I know that he is light and faithless, / But he has come back half repentant / and very pale and very sad. / A butterfly needs somewhere to rest / At evening."  The hard look in Sano's sable eyes brought him up short.

"No," Sanosuke's surprisingly deep voice rolled into the ensuing silence; Shibumi heart tried to stop.  "After all that you've done to me, to us; I'll never come back to you, Shibumi.  I came to see justice done for my uncle's death, and for all of those you wrongly imprisoned or hurt to force me to do your bidding; and to give you these," the young man said, opening his clinched fist and letting red-tasseled, leather eagle jesses dangle from between his fingers.  "I don't think I'll need them anymore."  And so saying, he dropped the leather fetters to the ground at Shibumi's feet, and turned toward Saitou.

Embarrassed rage swept over Shibumi as he watched a small breeze stir one of the tassels.  'How dare he reject me in front of the Shogun and his court? How dare he reject me at all?  I am the master of Aizu!  I would have given him everything he could have ever wanted!'  The Shogun's wakizashi was heavy in his hands.  "If I can't have you, then no man can," he muttered angrily, raising the short sword.

***

Sanosuke turned and smiled his most brilliant smile at Hajime.  It was over:  he had faced his worst fear and brought him low before the eyes of the whole court.  They had won; he loved Saitou, and Saitou loved him, and now they would be together, able to explore what that love meant.  Sano breathed a happy sigh.  A look of surprised fury crossed Saitou's face, and he heard both Yahiko and Kenshin yelling: "Sano, look out!" and "Behind you, Sano!"  He turned swiftly, swinging Saitou's katana in a deadly arc that slashed open Shibumi's abdomen, spilling the surprised Daimyo's intestines and blood to the tatami covered floor.  But, he was too slow, too late.  The cool, stinging bite of the short sword across his neck took his breath, and the adrenalin-fueled pounding of his heart pumped hot blood down his chest as he stumbled into Saitou's waiting arms.  They sank slowly to the ground together.

"Idiot! Ahou! Featherhead!" the older man yelled at him in a tight voice.  "What is the first rule of defense!?"  Sano tried to chuckle in spite of his pain and the sudden lack of air:  how like Saitou to think of defense at a time like this.

"I'm dying, and all you can say is 'What's the first rule of defense?'" Sano whispered, raising an eyebrow.  He was growing colder, numb, as the rush of his life's blood slowed, and his vision darkened, narrowing to Saitou's stricken look.  Sano hurried to reassure him.  "I know…I know…never turn your back to an enemy…You are so practical… I've always loved that about you, Saitou…"

"You can't die.  You're to stubborn to die, remember?" Saitou whispered, holding Sano to his chest and rocking him gently, kissing him deeply, despite the blood.  Sano smiled wanly.

"This isn't fair…I don't want to die," Sano said breathlessly, bringing a bloody hand up to caress his love's cheek.  "But I don't think that will work this time, Hajime."  Saitou's hand was hot on his cooling skin as the man took the sword from his suddenly unfeeling fingers.

"You," Saitou's voice was a tight controlled growl in Sano's ear as the man pointed his sword at the oni.  The courtiers gasped at his audacity.  "You hid the sun, you were behind our curse, and you can save his life."

"You are very brave, little mortal, to think to threaten me.  However, I cannot do as you demand," the oni answered, in a voice that sounded like a rumble of thunder that scared the now awake birds from the trees.

"Cannot or will not?"  The oni laughed but did not answer his question.

"Clever, mortal.  Sagara Sanosuke was fated to die today.  However, his choices lead to the downfall of a tyrant.  His death is a noble one; in the end, there is nothing more that anyone can ask for."  Sano gasped as all feeling left his body, drawing Saitou's attention back to him.

"Saitou, as long as you are here with me, I am not afraid," he whispered.  He sighed as his felt his eyes close.  "I…always…loved...you…Hajime…"

The howl of the Wolf of Mibu was the last thing in his ears…

***

Sanosuke's eyes were wide, and not so bright with fever anymore; his mouth made a little 'o' of surprise.  It was quite adorable, Saitou mused, although he didn't let the thought touch his features.  "The Daimyo of Aizu's death was long and drawn out, for no one would do him the honor of killing him mercifully; the oni, waiting for that moment, took his soul to hell.  And of course you know that the Wolf, being devoted to his friend, gently straightened the boy's body and said so that all assembled could hear.  'What has happened to my thoughts since I knew you? That is easy.  Until I knew you, I had no thoughts,' and then committed seppuku on the spot.  The end."

            "Oi!  What the hell kind of ending is that?" Sano asked indignantly.  Saitou felt a small smirk try to pull at his lips at the boy's confusion.

            "Quite the proper ending, I assure you," he answered.

            "But they died," Sano whined childishly.  Saitou didn't resist the urge to see how far he could push his young lover.

            "They died after defeating their enemy, with their honor intact," Saitou corrected.

            "But, but…" Sano stuttered, "...they didn't even get to have sex!  I can't believe you told me a story with a fucking depressing ending like that."  Saitou couldn't hide his smirk any longer.

            "Pervert," Saitou snorted. "You thought I was telling you a Western fairytale? Ahou."  He reached out and ruffled Sanosuke's sweat damped, spiky hair.

            "But they went through so much! Shouldn't you at least give them a happy ending?"

            "There is no such thing as a happy ending, Ahou," Saitou said smugly as Sano looked indignant again.

            "Of course there's such a thing as a happy ending, you cynical old bastard…" Saitou held up his hand to cut him off.

            "However, if it will get you to shut up…"

            "It will," Sano said quickly before he realized exactly what he was saying.  He glared up at Saitou, who gave his lover his infamous 'cheery' (and quite scary to those who knew him well) smile.

            "I do not think that I will even try to resist a promise like that.  Hn.  A happy ending… The Shogun, himself moved by the tragedy that had just occurred, acted as the Wolf's second, striking off his head to end his suffering.  He then appointed the Wanderer to be the next Daimyo of Aizu; and the newly-made Daimyo immediately adopted the Thief, thus assuring that Aizu would have wise and compassionate leadership for the time being.  The Wanderer's first official act as Daimyo was to free all of the prisoners - starting the ancient tradition of freeing prisoners during an eclipse.  In the fullness of time, he had a shrine to the Wolf and the Eagle built upon the slopes of Mount Bandai, so that Aizu would never forget the sacrifice that was made to free the prefecture from Shibumi's evil rule.

"As for the lovers themselves, the Kami, seeing that they truly loved one another, gathered up their souls and took them to the Heavens, placing them West of the rising Sun and East of the setting Moon….  And if you look to the skies on cold, clear Winter nights, you can still see them there, the brightest of the Winter stars: the boy, hunting for rabbits, followed by his faithful Wolf; together eternally.  What they do during the day is not for me to tell.  The end.  How was that?"  Sano's smiled beatifically, his eyes shining.

            "I think you missed your calling, Cop.  You definitely should have been a story teller.  Still, since they didn't get to have sex, maybe you and I could…" Sano waggled his eyebrows suggestively.  Saitou raised one of his and barely touched his lips against Sano's now cool forehead.

            "Ahou, you're still sick," Saitou murmured in his ear.  He stood, ignoring Sanosuke's frustrated squawk, and straightened his uniform jacket.  "Besides, I'm sure that you wouldn't want to get in trouble with the Fox Doctor, eh, Takani-sensei?"  The door slid open, and Megumi, blushing, walked in as dignifiedly as she could.  Sano gasped in surprise, while Saitou crossed his arms.

            "How long have you known I was there?" Megumi asked huffily, trying to cover her embarrassment. 

"How long have you been there?" Sano rasped.  Saitou smirked at both of them.

            "I knew as soon as you sat by the door," he said to Megumi; "and she never really left," he answered Sano.

            "Well, I didn't want to interrupt you," she said, gathering her dignity.  "You know you would have stopped as soon as I came in; and I wanted to hear the story.  The Roosterhead is right, though; you did miss your calling.  I'm really surprised that you're actually a good storyteller.  I'm from Aizu, and I've never heard that story before."

            "There are many things that you don't know, Takani-sensei," Saitou said as he put on his cap, and with it, his Fujita Goro persona.  He winked at Sano, who was trying to keep a straight face and failing.  Megumi swatted her patient for his impudence. "And now, I really should be getting back to work. 

"I know he can be annoying, Takani-sensei, but do try not to kill him while I'm gone.  I might miss him." Saitou smirked at them both again, and slid the door shut before hearing Sanosuke's offended "Oi! What the hell do you mean by that?"  The Wolf found himself cheerily smiling yet again as he walked down the street, and ordinary citizens, not even knowing their rationale, moved out of his way.