Dang….I haven't updated in a long time, have I??? Well, I'm not dead! Really! Life is difficult.. sigh Well, here is this chapter. I just received word from that dark part of my brain that actually KEEPS on schedule that says this story will be longer than I anticipated….another sigh If that's the case, I better get crackin', huh?

Reviewer's Spot:

Pikazoom: I agree, completely. There needs to be more of it.

Rath: I get lazy too. Alright, I'll try to elaborate on the vampyness. Thanks for your vote!

Youkai-Onna: First thing….tell that crazy drunk woman to urusai. This is a democracy, and what the people want, they get. (to an extent. ) Thanks for the vote!

Koe760: I'm glad you think it's interesting. Thanks for the voting, though it is a bit indecisive. () Anywho, I'm updating! Yay!

sonia: Lol. Ok, no threat seen. I try to update, but my parents hate fanfiction and anime. sighAlright, sonia… where's the vote? You people are deciding, not me. Thanks for the review!

XZanayu: Thanks for the review! I'm continuing, ASAP.

Akane-dono: I agree with the Kaoru angel thing…..I'm not a big fan of hers, myself… I'm glad you liked the twist in pairing.. I'd been itching to do that, cause Iizuka got on my nerves, so I had to put some bastard-ization in… Arigatou for the votes!

Results from the votes are below the story. Thanks, everyone!

Chapter One: In which we see a glimpse of the Wolf in the past, and present.

Bakumatsu, Kyoto

Standing in a narrow street, a lean man with black hair and the Shinsen-gumi uniform looked up at the night sky. Narrowing his eyes at the disc in the sky, he lifted a burning cigarette to his lips, inhaling the smoke.

"Saitou-dono, what are you doing out here?" a younger man asked. This was Okita Souji, captain of the First Squad of the Shinsen-gumi.

"Getting as far away from the ignorance as possible."

"You know, that girl, Tokio-san. She's been looking for you. Aren't you going to speak to your fiancée?"

"No. After I left my home, I feel no particular urge to agree to what my father asks me to do. Including a marriage."

"Oh, that's too bad. She seems like a really nice girl."

"How fortunate. Maybe she can find a different man to marry," the Third Squad captain replied, dropping the remains of his cigarette to the ground.

"I'll never understand you, Saitou-dono. You're an Ookami, a Hunter. Why aren't you fighting with them?"

"Good. I don't want anyone to understand me."

Okita looked at him, bemused. Suddenly, he covered his mouth, clenching his eyes shut as a coughing fit shook his form.

Hajime frowned at him. "Come on. We have to be ready."

"Hai, Saitou-dono. We can't keep the Isshin Shishi waiting, ne? Perhaps we will see Hitokiri Battousai again."

Chuckling good-naturedly, Hajime started off.

Edo, 1878 – (note: Tokyo is still called Edo, since the Meiji never came to exist.)

A lean, wolf-like man with narrow eyes and black hair, dressed simply in a dark blue gi and tan hakama, made his way to a dojo that taught Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. Between his three present jobs, he had found out where to find his target quite easily. To the Shogunate, he was a Miburo, loyal as ever. To the small rebel force hiding around the country, he was a powerful ally, supplying them with information and occasionally assassinating some of the Shogun's subordinates. At present, Saitou Hajime had a double assignment: find Himura Battousai for the rebels, and kill him for the Shogunate.

Settling the medicine box on his back, Hajime gave a call from the gates of the dojo. The only answer was from a rooster-headed youth that looked like – no, he smelled like it too. This brawler seemed to him to be the missing son of the Shogun. Undoubtably, he could sense the Miburo's intentions by now, but he did not seem to notice at all. Well, he was supposed to leave a….present, for Himura Battousai, and since the young man was the only one available, he'd have to make due.

After all, a wounded friend is the best warning for a renegade hiding from the Shogun, as well as a decent one for a Shogun, since this was his heir.

Ok, I know it's not as long as one would hope for my fairly long hiatus on this. But it's better than nothing, right? Right? ….looks sheepish Hehehe…Anyway, here's results.

Votes so far:

Saitou x Kenshin – 4

Sano x Kenshin – 2

Sano x Souzou – 2

Any (guy) x Kenshin (x Any (guy)) - 3

Soujirou x Kenshin – 2

Aoshi x Kenshin – 2

Katsura x Kenshin – 1 (hmm. Unexpected. But I'll see about it)

That Katsura x Kenshin one surprised me. You know, I found one fic like that, too… I believe it's Drinking Mercury, by Shini no Miko. Well, anyway. As you can see by the votes, the pairings stand so far as a Saitou x Kenshin definite, with a debatable Sano x Kenshin / Souzou… Guess that part's on my "Find out what the people really want" list. So this chapter, vote on who Sano should be with, onegai. It's the last pairing vote. And, I'm very sorry, but the only way I see Sano and Saitou in a relationship is in a threesome. Here's the rooster-head's ballot: Sano x Souzou (or vice versa), Sano x Aoshi, Sano x Chou, Sano x Katsu, Sano x Any, Sano x Megumi, Sano x Kaoru, Sano x Misao. (my preference is Sano x Souzou, but whatever the people want, ne?)