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Chapter 9: Search and Rescue

They set off as soon as it was daylight; Kondo, Hijitaka, Okita and Tetsu. They had to take the page after he interrupted them while they were planning a search. The boy has yet to learn to knock first before entering.

If I had any brains, I would have knocked her unconscious at Shiroya, packed her into a trunk and have her delivered post-haste back to her father! Okita cursed as they trudged though the mud. Hijitaka watched him with worry. Okita shouldn't be out. The boy ought to be resting back where it is warm and dry.

But the woman's his cousin. And Okita was never one to shirk his responsibilities. If anything happened to her, Okita will commit seppuku if Takagi called for him to do so. He could picture the scene; Souji slitting his own belly open while Hijitaka waited to cut off Souji's head with a sword...

Dammit! No one's committing seppuku yet! Hijitaka looked away from the young man and saw the half-buried shack off the side of the path...

"That wakizashi... It's Tokio's." Okita pointed at a sword half-buried by the mud near the shack. It bore the Takagi crest on its hand guard.

They sat huddled together against the damp and cold. It had rained again. What a way to go... Saitou mused. I finally found my special her. And fate decides to do the both of us in. Tokio was nodding off again. Don't! He shook her awake gently. If you go to sleep now, you'll never wake up...

They had tried to keep up a conversation throughout the night. He told her of his dreams and aspirations. Ironically, they will come to naught. She told him of her very unusual childhood spent competing with her many boy cousins. When she ran out of things to talk about, she pinched him to stop him from dozing off.

"Hajime, I hear something..." Tokio murmured as she lifted her head from his chest. Now she's hearing things! A faint scrapping sound. Wild dogs? He strained his ears. Voices!

A small opening of daylight appeared. "Hajime-san! Fujita-san!" Okita called out as he peered down the hole. "They're there!" The men dug more urgently. Saitou helped Tokio out.

"Careful, Tokio has broken ribs..." Okita stared at Saitou.

"Tokio? You know? Hell! You actually felt her for broken ribs," Okita glared. "You do realize I have to insist you marry her or fight a duel with me..." Saitou caught sight of Okita reaching for his sword.

"I've decided on marriage. Right, Tokio?" Saitou took Tokio's hand in his.

"You didn't propose to me," Tokio pouted. "Well, I'm doing it now," Saitou kissed her lightly on the brow.

"A wedding!" Okita clapped his hands like a child. "Won't that be fun, Kondo-san?" Hijitaka shrugged. A wedding? More work... They'll have to escort the bride back home. Then send Saitou to the Takagi's...Later they'll have to work out a plan for Saitou to fulfill his Shinsengumi duties and his duty to his new wife...

"We'll hold it at the HQ! Tokio can stay there until she can get a house in Kyoto." Everyone stared at the young captain. Okita Souji may just have hit on the perfect solution...

"We need to send Fujita-san to a hospital to have those ribs seen to... or is Takagi-san?" Kondo realized that he has solved the problem of Fujita Goro...

The Comedian Trio were busy teasing little Puppy-kun over his Saya. They had seen the young couple kissing on the bridge a few days ago. Finally, the irate youngster challenged them to a duel. Toudou volunteered and was surprised when Tetsu defeated him.

"Where did you learn that move?" Heisuke asked as he mopped his brow.

"From Fujita-san..." The boy piped. The Trio exchanged glances. It was a loss for the Shinsengumi. Poor Fujita had suffered severe injuries in the mudslide and was forced to give up his sword. The youngster had potential. Okita had informed them of Fujita's retirement.

"Tetsu! She's doing it again!" Yamazaki called out as he ran past the training hall. They ran. Saitou's fiancée had arrived at the HQ and Kondo was obliged to house her. The Takagi owned the land they were occupying. Takagi Tokio was a rare beauty. She had volunteered to give archery lessons to the taishi with a special punishment for those who dare question her skill as an archer.

Today's victim was the Fifth patrol captain, Takeda. He had just returned from home leave and had tried to hit on Tokio, unaware she was actually Saitou's fiancée. The man was a terrible skirt-chaser. Saitou wanted to skewer him but Tokio talked him out of it. She asked Takeda to assist her in her archery lesson...

Okita smiled as he caught sight of Takeda-san standing with an apple perched on his head. "Hajime-kun, please," she asked sweetly. Saitou handed her the bow and arrow. "Please don't move. I may hit you..." Tokio fitted the arrow to her bow, drew it... and let it fly. It split the apple into halves. A white-faced Takeda staggered away to the onlookers' cheers.

"Takeda-san! You're so brave! Tokio-san, do it again, with this..." Not to be outdone, Hotaru held out a cherry with a wicked grin. Tokio smiled sweetly and nodded. Takeda fled.

Notes:

Injury! Author down with a very bad sprain... ack! (cough) Okita acting as protective male relative? Archery lessons? Muahahaha... Is Saitou planning another escape?

Fujita Goro has returned to the world of make-belief.

PS: In RK, Saitou's alias in the police force is Fujita Goro for those readers familiar with the series. We can suppose Tokio had an effect on him among other things.