Disclaimer: I don't own any Rurouni Kenshin characters though I wish that I could have Saitou, but alas I can't so oh well. I do own Raiden, Sajin, Korosu, and Hageshii, they are mine, but if you want to use some of the names then just e-mail me. I'm sorry that I haven't updated in about two months, gomen nasai. Well enough of that, here we go.

Chapter 8: Plans and Parties

The Battousai rummaged through Korosu's files, searching for the name Kousotsu but he hadn't found much of anything. The Battousai, for the past year, had been sneaking into Korosu's tent well into the night. He would first make sure that Korosu was no where to be seen, then he would sneak into the tent and, using a candle to see, he would read the files. He know that if he was ever caught he would be put to death or ordered to commit seppuku. That very idea unnerved him, but he kept his resolve strong, even though he was putting himself in danger for someone he was afraid of.

Battousai put another file back on the shelf and pulled another one down. The candle flickered at the rush of air that followed after the motion. The Battousai was half way through the file when he felt someone's ki coming his way. He was very thankful to have the ability to detect ki for Korosu was coming his way.

Battousai quickly put the file back in its rightful place and blew out his candle. He searched for Korosu's ki and sighed with relief.

'He's not coming into his tent.'

But none-the-less Battousai didn't want to take a chance, 'I'll just have to come back tomorrow night.'

And with that Battousai slunk to the tent entrance and slipped through leaving the tent flap rippling only a little. Nobody would have even know he was there all that was left as a tell-tale sign was the smell of smoke from the candle but that soon would be covered as well when Korosu would come back to his tent to smoke those infernal cigars.

Battousai for once was glad that Korosu smoked.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­"You know Raiden, we've been with the Ishins for about a year and our plan still hasn't been very effective." Sajin said.

"I'm not a fool I know." Raiden snapped back.

'Brother, has father's death been this harsh on you.' Sajin thought to himself and was quite surprised to hear Raiden's reply.

"It's none of your business." Raiden snapped.

Sajin blinked in surprise.

'Argh, a year ago I almost lost my brother, I would truly have been alone,' Raiden thought, 'The sooner I get Saitou the better.'

"Brother, I'm sorry I haven't been much help," Sajin whispered, "sorry that I'm weak."

Raiden felt sick inside. He turned his ice blue eyes towards Sajin and looked into Sajin's cool dark green eyes. He had to keep his face like stone, for one slip would let Sajin know just how troubled he was.

"Don't let it happen anymore then." Raiden said his face like ice; cold and emotionless.

Sajin sighed, 'I wish the old Raiden was here.' Sajin got up and walked out of the tent.

Raiden also sighed, 'I'm being strong for you, Sajin, for you are all I have left.'

­Saitou was on the outskirts of camp sitting on a fallen log that was rotten and starting to fall apart. Saitou shook his head, why had this troublesome thing happened, he didn't want to get married, he was a lone wolf; a Wolf of Mibu.

Flashback

"Saitou you are probably wondering why you are in here at this moment when we haven't heard of any Ishin activities as of late." Kondou said. Saitou just nodded keeping quiet so that he would listen to what Kondou had to say.

"Well it has come to my attention that Tokio has turned 16 and her father wants you to marry her." Kondou said.

"I hope that you will forgive me but since you don't have any family in the vicinity and me being your superior officer, I told Takagi-san that you would wed Tokio after the war is over." Kondou stated waiting to see what Saitou's reaction would be.

Saitou merely bowed and said, "I will do as you wish." And with that Saitou left the tent and a very surprised Kondou.

End Flashback

"Don't think of it as a setback,' a voice in Saitou's subconscious said, 'think of it as an opportunity to get to learn more about her secrets; you'll have a whole lifetime for that.'

"Argh, what am I thinking, 'A whole lifetime! Maybe I need to get out more." Saitou mumbled to himself.

"Hey Saitou, I heard the great news now we'll be related." Okita yelled as he made his way up to Saitou. When he stopped he had to hunch over to catch his breath.

"Okita-kun, what is the matter with you, as of late you've been out of breath a lot and coughing. Is all well?" Saitou asked in a rugged voice of concern.

Okita looked up into Saitou's keen eyes and laughed waving off Saitou's concern.

"Don't worry about me Saitou-san, I just have a cold." Okita lied.

Saitou eyed Okita suspiciously. "A cold in the middle of May?"

"Hai, I once had a cold in the dead heat of July." Okita said smirking at his suspicious friend.

"I see." Saitou said drolly.

"Well anyway we are on leave right now and the Hageshii and I wanted to celebrate your great news." Okita replied.

"What happens if I don't want to come?" Saitou asked.

"Oh, Saitou-san you should come because Kondou-sama gave us time off so we could celebrate." Okita said trying to persuade Saitou.

Saitou laughed at his friend's shenanigans and finally said, "Ok, ok don't work yourself up into a tizzy fit, I guess I'll come."

Later that day. . . .

"Kondou-sama we're off to celebrate." Okita yelled.

"Alright." Kondou answered back.

When they were on the road to Kyoto it was only Okita, Saitou and a man named Meiyo Hageshii.

"Saitou have you met Hageshii?" Okita asked.

"Hai, I've met him." Saitou said.

'He is quite a good fighter.' Saitou thought to himself.

Saitou looked at Meiyo Hageshii, he was two or three inches taller then Saitou and had a bulky build.

'He reminds me of Hiko in both height and bulky build, though Hageshii doesn't look quite like a gorilla.'

Saitou and Hageshii looked at each other, Saitou noticed something very unusual. The right eye was a dark green while the left eye was sky-blue almost white.

As if reading Saitou's mind Hageshii replied." If you must know I was born blind in my left eye."

Saitou's respect for Hageshii went up another notch. "You must be very skilled to compensate for your blind side." Saitou said.

"Hai, I usually use my samurai instincts."

"I see." Saitou answered satisfied by Hageshii's answer.

"Where are we going?" Saitou asked.

"Don't know but someplace with soba and sake." Okita answered.

"Where could it be?" Battousai asked himself.

"I know that it is here somewhere." Battousai was again looking around Korosu's tent carefully treading, making sure to be quiet as he walked around trying to put things back into their rightful places.

"Will I ever find it?"

It was then that something caught his eye; there was a book stuck behind all the other books. He was about to pull it out from behind when he felt Korosu's ki.

"Has anybody seen the Battousai?" Korosu asked as he made his way to his tent.

Battousai frantically put the book that was in his hand back in front of the "hidden" book. Then he slid out the back side of the tent. Just to make it not look to conspicuous he wandered around camp, when Korosu finally found him he was far away from the tent.

"Where have you been?" Korosu asked irately.

"Mn, oh just thinking." Battousai said trying his best to lie without giving something away.

Korosu started into his eyes looking for tell-tale signs of guilt, shifty or downcast eyes. Battousai started back vehemently.

Korosu sighed "Whatever, I have a job for you."

"Hm, and what would that be?" Battousai asked.

"Three Shinsengumi members left to Kyoto I want you to find out who they are and why they left, they may be meeting someone in Kyoto."

"Seems easy enough." Battousai said.

"Good, now go." Korosu said.

Battousai turned on his heel, rolled his eyes and walked out of camp.

"So where are we going?" Saitou asked.

"The Aoi-ya, I hear their soba is divine." Okita answered.

Hageshii chuckled and Okita smiled until it consumed his face.

Saitou cocked an eyebrow in mock interest. "I see." Saitou said.

They finally reached the Aoi-ya, a small prosperous inn in Kyoto. They sat down and a waiter came to wait on them.

"How may I help you good sirs?" The waiter asked.

"Okita chuckled before answering, "We would like some sake."

"I want some soba." Saitou piped in.

"And how would. . . . " the waiter asked but never finished his sentence as Saitou interrupted with "plain."

"I'll be right back with your sake and," directing his words to Saitou, "I'll bring you your soba as soon as possible."

Saitou nodded slightly and watched the waiter hurry and go to the back . he came back with sake.

"Where's my soba?" Saitou asked.

"It's still being made sire." The waiter stammered and left in a hurry to leave them to drink.

Saitou sighed with contentment as he started drinking some sake. "I still haven't lost my touch."

Hageshii snorted. "Just remember there are still a select few who are not afraid of you."

"I know, with people like you I try to be as annoying as possible." Saitou replied as the effects of sake slowly started to take over.

"I seem to be the only one impervious to that then." Okita laughed and Saitou sighed.

Soon after that Saitou's soba was brought to him and in a blink of an eye Saitou scoffed it down.

"Saitou get as much soba as you wish it is my treat." Okita said as he sipped some of his sake. Saitou nodded and ordered some more soba.

"Okita you know he'll take you up on your offer and order until he's full." Hageshii warned.

"Yup, I know." Okita Said grinning, "this is supposed to be a celebration, my treat, I'm paying." Saitou looked up with a gleam in his eye.

Ten bowls later

Okita looked at Saitou in disbelief.

"I told you." Hageshii said.

Okita shrugged and smiled "Oh well, I said it was my treat."

"So what should we do next?" Okita asked.

"What! The great Okita all out of ideas?" Hageshii asked. Okita just smiled and shrugged.

Okita looked at Saitou, "What do you want to do?"

Saitou made eye contact. "I want to fight Battousai, and maybe even kill him." He said with a dangerous gleam in his eye.

"Saitou you've been drinking too much sake." Okita said.

"I feel fine." Saitou stated and Okita just smiled.

It was then that they noticed Hageshii had been silent for a while. Both his eyes were shut and his head cocked to the left.

"Hageshii what is it?" Saitou asked.

Hageshii slowly opened his eyes and suddenly turned around to throw something. Both Saitou and Okita heard a muffled gasp and soft "thud" as Hageshii's concealed weapon was imbedded into a tree behind them. Shortly following was a crack and slightly louder thud as if someone had fallen out of a tree.

'It can't be! The three are Saitou, Okita and someone I haven't seen before.' Battousai thought to himself in mild surprise.

What surprised him even more was a kunai that was coming his way. Battousai gasped as the kunai came with precision and accuracy right for his chest. Battousai, not thinking, dodged the blade. He forgot he was on an unstable branch. At the sudden movement the branch couldn't take the added stress. A resounding crack could be heard. Battousai cringed and did the only think he could do at the present moment; brace for the fall.

"Oof." Was the sound that escaped from the Battousai's lips as he fell out of the tree and unceremoniously dumped onto the ground.

"Oro that really hurt." Battousai muttered under his breath as he slowly got up.

"Well, well it looks like its raining Battousais." A childish voice taunted.

"Aye, fancy meeting him here." Another voice replied soon after. Battousai slowly looked in the voices' general direction. Behind him standing there was Okita and mystery man; but where was Saitou?

"Well for whatever reason he is here we can't let him go away unscathed for this is our chance to dispose of the notorious Battousai." Hageshii said.

Battousai looked at Hageshii. He had to blink several times before realizing his eyes were deceiving him. For a second it looked like his master Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth.

'Phew for a second I thought that master had joined this Shinsengumi.' That Battousai thought with relief.

"Do I look like someone familiar?" Hageshii asked tauntingly, "I really hope you didn't think I was that baka Seijuro Hiko. That man is a nuisance."

"How do you know Master?" Battousai asked narrowing his eyes.

"Well, hm, let's see I'm his cousin." Hageshii replied.

"Master never told me he had relatives." Battousai said trying to keep the surprise he felt out of his voice.

"Well duh, why would he want to do that?" Hageshii snapped, advancing on Battousai, expertly throwing a kunai in the air and catching it by the tip of it's blade.

"Hageshii I will be the only one to battle him tonight. I want to be the one to eradicate him." Saitou said as he materialized from behind a tree not far away from Battousai and the two Shinsengumi soldiers. The day was slowly turning to night and Saitou's Shinsengumi uniform was blending into the darkness.

"But Saitou I wanted to battle him." Okita whined.

Saitou smiled wolfishly, "But I want to kill him."

"Saitou you can't battle him when you are drunk." Okita said.

Saitou's smirk grew wider. "I just have this urge to kill."

Battousai took sudden interest in his dirty hakama and gi. He found all the places where dirt was caked on his clothes and started dusting it off.

"Battousai get ready for battle."

Battousai stared into Saitou's golden, blood-thirsty eyes.

"I will not battle you that I won't." Battousai stated.

"Why, you scared you might die?" Saitou asked tauntingly.

"No, because I wouldn't be fighting you at your best." Battousai said as he started to walk away from Saitou.

"Funny thing, you see when I drink alcohol it sharpens my reflexes and gives me the urge to kill," Saitou laughed, "besides are you going to just leave without doing what you came here to do?"

Battousai slightly cringed. 'I almost forgot, Korosu will kill me if I don't get the information I need.' Battousai wracked his brain; he had to think of a way to get the information he needed.

Fortunately Saitou already had a plan.

"Hm, I have an idea, how about we play a little game." Saitou stated.

"What type of game?" Battousai asked flatly as he turned around, his dangerous golden eyes staring into Saitou's equally destructive eyes.

Before Saitou could say anything Hageshii entered into the conversation. "What were you following us for anyway?" Hageshii asked gruffly making sure Battousai knew he meant business.

Battousai looked straight into Hageshii's face. 'Though this man may be Master's cousin and looks similar to Master, there is something different.'

Battousai's eyes went wide with surprise. He looked from Hageshii to the kunai embedded in the tree trunk then he let his gaze fall on the kunai that Hageshii was playing around with.

As if reading Battousai's mind Hageshii smiled, "If you are wondering if I threw that," Hageshii said pointing to the kunai in the tree, "then the answer is yes."

"But how? You're blind in your left eye!"

Hageshii pointed to his ears, "Where I may lack in eyesight, I make up for my acute hearing."

"I hate to ruin this happy little conversation but I'll tell you, Battousai, the rules of this little game of mine." Saitou interjected.

Battousai shifted his gaze back to Saitou. "Ok, I'm listening."

"It is simple; the first person to draw blood wins." Saitou explained.

"And the catch?" Battousai asked in a bored voice.

"The catch is if I lose I have to tell you why I'm here but if you lose then you have to tell me why you were following us." Saitou said grinning devilishly.

'Seems fair enough.'

"Ok, I accept." Battousai said.

"Good, I thought you would." Saitou said as he sunk into his Gatotsu.

"When are you ever going to learn a new attack besides Gatotsu?" Battousai asked as he took his own stance. Battoujutsu.

Okita whispered to Hageshii, "I wonder who will win, even though Saitou is using his Gatotsu Battousai is starting off with his Battoujutsu stance."

"Yes I've heard that the Battoujutsu is very powerful, the sword is drawn with such speed that the sword wielder can get in an attack sometimes before the opponent can counter." Hageshii replied back in a whisper.

Soon after Hageshii said that Saitou charged at Battousai, and Battousai counted with his Battoujutsu. Sparks went flying every which way as swords clashed.

Saitou smiled wolfishly again as he slowly gained the upper hand in the power struggle.

'I don't like the way this is going that I don't.' Battousai thought. So Battousai jumped back making sure to keep his katana between Saitou and himself at all times. Saitou unexpectedly jumped into the air and flipped over Battousai's head. He landed with a small thud and quickly sideswiped at Battousai's unprotected back.

'I've never seen this happen before but I won't let him gain the upper hand.'

Battousai sensed when the katana was about to hit him so he ducked, and transferring his momentum, spun around so his katana would cut Saitou's legs. Saitou blocked the move by turning his blade vertically so that the katana was pointing to the ground. After he did that he moved his body so that it was right behind the blade so he could reinforce the katana's defense. By the time Battousai's blade reached Saitou it hit the katana instead ofthe desired target.

'This is going to go on all day; I have to do something about it.' Battousai thought to himself. So with that he launched his body towards Saitou. Saitou must have been thinking the same thing for his body was in motion as well. Swords once again collided and locked together into another power struggle. Then Saitou and Battousai both reached for each other's wakazachis. They both unsheathed each other's wakazachis with such speed and pressed them against each other's ribcage on the left side that Saitou was surprised when Battousai immediately let go of Saitou's wakazachi and sheath his own katana.

Saitou looked at him a little confused. Battousai put his hand to the shallow wound and then brought it back to show Saitou the blood.

"I have lost; I will now tell you why I was following you." Battousai stated with a little disappointment creeping into his voice. So far all their battles ended up in draws but for once he had actually lost to Saitou, when he was drunk. It may have been a game but still Battousai felt disappointed.

"The reason why I was following you was because Korosu thought you three were spies so he had me follow you to see what you were doing." Battousai stated.

Hageshii laughed at this, "This Korosu must be very paranoid all the time." Battousai agreed with Hageshii's random statement.

Battousaithen turned to Saitou, "Until next time, I will not be as easy to hurt then."He said.

Saitou snorted, 'We'll see Battousai." Saitou replied as he sheathed his katana and watched the Battousai turn around and started to walk back to the Ishin camp.

It was only after Battousai had left that Okita pointed to Saitou's cut gi.

"It looks like you got hurt anyway." Okita said.

Saitou ran his hand over the shallow wound. "Well so I did, and darn I thought I would have won this one."

And with that he walked back into the Aoi-ya.

"So did you find out who it was?" Korosu asked.

"No sir they were just insignificant soldiers of the Shinsengumi going out to party." Battousai answered.

"Insignificant huh, then how do you explain that wound." Korosu asked pointing to Battousai's newly acquired wound.

"I just let my guard down that's all." Battousai said trying to cover up what had really happened.

"Well don't let it happen again." Korosu replied angrily taking Battousai's lie for truth.

"Don't worry sir I won't." Battousai said as he made his way to leave the tent.

"Saitou your demise is at hand; you may think you are safe but Raiden will get you, but if that won't stop you then I personally will." Korosu said out loud to himself only after Battousai was out of earshot. As he said this, Korosu looked at his left arm as he did every other time he thought about his revenge on Saitou.

"You will pay with your life for what you did to my arm." And with that Korosu stood up and walked out of the tent to take a walk and plan for the final attack on the Shinsengumi.