A/N: Guys guys guys...! Today the new - some say first - chapter of the Hokkaido arc is being released! In order to commemorate the original manga and celebrate the new instalment, I'm updating with a super long chapter. Hope you enjoy mah cuties. As always, thank you so much for the love and reviews keep me going, just so you know.

On to the story! They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, right? And I have to admit, I wanted to work the famous scar-faced hitokiri in the story for a while now, but couldn't find the way. I finally did.

Historical facts:
1. On the 2nd of January, Saitou Hajime escorts the shogun, Tokugawa Iemochi, to Osaka.
2. On the 8th, they enter the shogun's palace at Osaka where he is assigned guard dury.
3. On the 14th, he goes from Osaka to Fushimi, always as a guard to the shogun.
4. On the 15th, they return to Kyoto, and guard the shogun as he enters Nijo-jo. Saitou himself doesn't enter.

Timeline: Late 1863, January 15th of 1864.

A fine a lady...

...and correspondence.

The ladies departed from Kyoto as soon as the new month announced its arrival, with the rising sun marking the beginning of their journey. But Saitou had woken up long before that – did he even sleep – and tried meditating. It always put his mind at ease, centred him anew and he couldn't find a better occasion to need it than this. At least in recent history. So, he took many deep breaths, cleared his mind and sat on his floor with his eyes closed. If only he could find a waterfall to stand under, without immediately remembering Tokio, he would have done it.

"Saitou-san, did you hear?"

Okita literally crushed in the room, almost snapping the door off its hinges. When he saw the man in question jolt from his meditation pose, he figured he had no idea about what was going on, so the excitement – and was that bitterness mixed in there – only grew. "I have some unbelievable news to tell you!"

"Don't run in the hallways like that, you imbecile," he heard Hijikata's voice from somewhere behind the intruder of his peace.

Oh great, he had to deal with him, too.

"Saitou-san, did you hear me? I have some unbelievable news-!"

"He heard you, stop acting like a child."

There the – supposedly vice – commander was, entering the room in all his glory. But Saitou hadn't even bothered opening his eyes, couldn't they get the hint he wanted to be left alone?

"If you don't look at me, I'm not telling you."

"Good; maybe I'll have some quiet around here."

Damn, he shouldn't have said that; he felt something kick off the floor in a flash and he knew now he had to move because that little tremor was Okita who propelled himself into an attack against him. Without missing a beat, Saitou leapt for his sword, which lay always close by, and in one fluid movement both grabbed and unsheathed it, fending off the impending hit.

"Good reflexes friend, but let's see how-"

Hijikata walked between them, effectively stopping the festivities. "Didn't I just tell you to stop acting childish?" Okita pouted; the older man felt his temper flare. If he wanted to be an infant, he'd treat him like one. "Tell him the news now or I'm doing it instead."

"Tokio-chan and Teruhime-sama left Kyoto today at the break of dawn!"

Oh amazing; the threat worked too well.

But what concerned the vice commander was Saitou's expression, see how he'd take the news. Ever since he witnessed their exchange after they came back from Mibu the first time, he started facing this like an experiment. But right now, test subject number one wasn't reacting how he was supposed to. Surprise appeared on his face but it was too mild for the occasion and was otherwise detached. What in earth?

"Is that so? Where are they going?"

"Aizu! Do you believe it? Tokio-chan is going back home!"

"Really? Permanently?"

What is this? His reactions were too muted, as if he was being told the autumn winds would turn into cold winter blows.

"No thank Buddha!" Okita on the other hand was picture-perfect example of what he should act like: surprised, a little annoyed, somewhat over the top. "They will be coming back in a couple of months or so, but there are rumours she might even spend New Year up there—so three whole months at least! But that's not fair; I wanted to see her in those pretty kimono women wear on New Year's…"

Tough; he wanted, too but now because of him and his big mouth she would probably be in Aizu for it. Instead of voicing those thoughts though, he simply hit Okita at the back of his head. "Idiot," Saitou snubbed "stop acting like she's even remotely accessible."

Okita's pout came back but even more fierce. "You are no fun, Saitou-san."

"Neither are you, barging in here like this." He finally decided to look outside and address the issue that's been eating at him: how long has he been meditating? It must have been at least four hours, if the news of her departure already reached these two. "You told me what you wanted, now leave."

"What? That's—that's all you have to say?"

"What else should I say?"

"I don't know, but at least look like this is surprising."

He shrugged. "She decided to take a trip, good for her. Hasn't seen her family for a long time, too so I bet they'll have a lot to talk about, three months sound about right. So long as they are making sure to stay safe…"

Okita remained looking at him flabbergasted; when Saitou's apathetic stare never changed, the short man chuckled in disbelief and stormed out of the room, just as flamboyantly as he had walked in. "Unbelievable! I'm going to tell Harada-san and Nagakura-san; they'll…" As his voice was getting lost in the corridors of the Headquarters as he waded deeper in the establishment, Hijikata stayed back, scrutinising his face.

Hajime didn't appreciate it. "What?"

"Okita's right; you are taking this way too…nonchalantly." He shrugged again, visibly annoyed by his persistent presence. "Your girlfriend just left, aren't you upset?"

"She is not my girlfriend; and why would I be upset? She's going on a trip, good for her."

"You said that again and you sounded just as angry then as you do now."

"I am angry because you came into my room without even knocking and forcibly stopped my meditation."

No, no that wasn't it. He was too angry for just that—usually the first smack on Okita's head would have dissolved his nerves, this was different. Hijikata remained staring, piecing it together part by part; he acted like he didn't care; he acted like he was surprised; made all the right questions to lead Okita to tell him what he wanted…a smirk formed on the commander's lips and Saitou really felt like punching something.

"You aren't angry we interrupted your meditation; you are sullen and consequentially moody because you knew she was going to leave!"

"How could I know that, don't be ridiculous."

Now it all made sense; had he been a less disciplined man, Hijikata would have laughed at his subordinate's simple-mindedness; he was content with shaking his head instead. "You know, I can tell; otherwise you'd be far more affected than this. She is going to stay away for three whole months after all."

"So? Just because you call her my girlfriend doesn't mean she is; and even if I knew, which I didn't, why would I be mad she's going on a trip? Good for her."

"That's the third time you said it today and now it sounded like you swore."

"Then that's because you hear what you want, commander."

"Uh huh; you definitely knew."

"How could I have known? Matsudaira had forbidden anyone to talk about it, as a safety precaution."

"Indeed; and I know that because the man himself told me this morning. How did you know?" They exchanged looks; Saitou's was almost warning, not to speak anymore for what he was about to say wasn't supposed to be said. But the man didn't care. "You know because she told you, didn't she?"

You didn't really have to say it out loud, Saitou's eyes conveyed, but Hijikata provoked him more. An impish smirk, one Saitou had never seen on the commander's face before, took over and leaned close, about to make a big reveal. "Did she get you out there so she could say goodbye?" It was phrased as a question but it was meant as an affirmation. "Did she want to see you one last time before she left for her trip?"

His patience was wearing thin. "Yes, alright, she told me, but stop repeating it. If anyone heard she could be in trouble."

"How…sweet; she wanted to tell you in person."

Too thin. "Hijikata-"

"But why are you so upset she went away? What you said wasn't wrong; I bet she hasn't seen her mother for more than a year."

Okay, that's it; he's done. "Then she should have gone straight to Aizu, stay there for a month and then come back here immediately, not take trips through the countryside like a tourist!"

Ah shit, it was said now; the flood gates were opened. Saitou crossed his arms and started pacing up and down.

"The trip might be good for her health or her spirit, but there are only ten guards with them—two women and their four female servants? That's not safe! And the guards, they are the same ones she snuck out right under their noses two nights ago, how can they keep an eye on her successfully? I mean, she's been attacked on the road to Kobe of all places and she's been kidnapped by a doctor! If I were her father or Matsudaira for that matter, I wouldn't allow her out of the house for more than two consecutive hours—and certainly not without the dog. That dog smelt your temper rising through walls and doors and came to her aid in a heartbeat; and they tell her to leave him behind? It's as if they want her to be snatched again!"

He shook his head, finally staying in one place. "I don't know how the hell that woman manages to make everyone do whatever she wants, but it has got to stop. Matsudaira should really keep her inside for as long as this tense situation exists. Even if that's for the next five years."

Silence fell between them; Saitou stood perfectly still, looking outside the window in an effort to understand the time – around eleven maybe – and calm his nerves; watching the leaves of the trees dance in the breeze always made his heart relax.

"All in all, you're taking this great."

An involuntary snort of self-depreciating laughter escaped Saitou; Hijikata's was planned but more pointed. Slowly, the flow of snorts turned into chuckles that they in turn transformed in full blown laughter and the two men were laughing in Saitou's expense for an entire minute.

"It's good to take it off your chest, Saitou."

"It'd be better if anyone in charge with protecting her had any common sense…but one does what one can."

Hijikata clapped him on the back. "She'll be fine. Now get ready; we are going to meet the shogun today."

Ah yes, something to do; that's exactly what he needed! "Yes, sir."

"Be less cranky though or you'll end up attacking his escort of bureaucrats."

"Ah, not them…alright, I'll behave."

But that wasn't entirely bad; any excuse to exercise any self-control is welcome. Without another word, he focused on getting his tasks in order. The sigh that escaped him once Hijikata left was too heavy. These first ones were going to be some very difficult weeks.

.

.

"Why did you call me so suddenly, what happened?"

It was the middle of the afternoon, Saitou was on night patrol this day and he was in the middle of performing his usual kata. After that he and Okita were supposed to spar. But now they had all been put on hold, in order to appear and report in front of Hijikata. It was, to say the least, alarming.

But the commander's small smile told him otherwise. "You got a letter."

He sighed in relief. "Finally, the divorce papers."

"Oh. Yeah, you have two letters." Alright, now this became downright suspicious. "One is indeed your divorce papers; the other…"

He held up an envelope between two fingers; Saitou's eyes became narrow in an effort to read anything on it, but the bastard was holding it the wrong way facing him on purpose. Sighing, Saitou extended his hand.

"This letter is from Tokio."

Stunned silence followed. "It really is, I'm not joking." Finally, he threw it at him – like a shuriken – and he caught it expertly. "That's her hand-writing, isn't it?"

He saw his name written in her familiar scroll and it was undoubtedly her who had sent it. For a moment, he stood there gobsmacked. The next, he threw the envelope right back at the commander. "I bet she's in some trouble again and wants me to help; I promised I wouldn't help her unless made to do it. You read it and tell me what it says."

Hijikata stared. "Wh-really? You want me to read it for you?"

"I said what I said."

Hijikata almost laughed. Saitou was being stubborn and petty and it wasn't like him. It had been three entire weeks since she'd left and he had appeared to put it behind him—appeared being the operative word. "Alright," he conceded to the other man's wish and opened it. He started reading.

Saitou waited; and waited; but Hijikata said nothing. His nerves started getting the better of him. "Well, what does it say?"

"I'm still reading."

"I didn't mean read the entire thing and then tell me; do it at the same time."

"She's saying hi, sends you wishes, talking about her day; there's a nice drawing of a field of flowers here in a separate piece of paper, too, very skillful."

"What?"

"Then she talks about how Teruhime-sama is making the guards' life difficult, shares a few anecdotes." He snorted. "She has a flair for the dramatic."

"And? What else?" What about the part she got herself into trouble again?

"Nothing else; she…simply wrote you a letter." The doubt was written all over his face. "Or maybe you were hoping she's in a pinch so you can go there and help?"

"No…!" Damn that wasn't convincing. He cleared his throat. "Of course not."

"Sure," the commander drawled. And then went back to the- "what are you doing?" he complained as the paper was ripped from his hands.

"If this isn't a cry for a help, then you have no reason to be reading it." Saitou folded both pieces of paper again carefully and put it back in the envelope. "I shall leave it to my room and once I am finished with my training I may read it."

He was not going to lie, Hijikata was invested in the letter now, wanted to see how it ended. "Isn't here closer to the training grounds?"

"So?"

"Why don't you leave it here and come pick it up later?"

"…you read enough of it already, don't you think?"

He looked away, supposedly unaware. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"…I'm going back to training now."

That day Okita would forever mark in the unit's calendar, as the day Saitou almost accidentally maimed him. He didn't do it on purpose. He didn't even realise until halfway through how dangerous and clear-cut his swing was. But the truth of the matter remained that he had turned his stab into a slash, trying to gain ground and momentum halfway through, and ended up almost taking Okita's arm clean off! The short man avoided the full blow very last minute and even that on its own would not have been enough to spare him, had Saitou himself not realised how close he actually was to his sparring partner.

"Sparring? That's not what you were doing!"

"I was only trying to win…" in a hurry, his mind supplemented, one of the reasons he dared go so lethal and aggressive to begin with. He had even apologised. Oh no. If Hijikata—correction. When Hijikata found out about this, he would never live it down.

Still, the almost maiming part of the spar was considered a win on Saitou's behalf and Okita started complaining about losing to pretty much everyone, making him swear to a rematch in front of Nagakura. Who, considering what happened after he got ambushed by the spies, was still a little unwilling to be in the same room alone with Saitou, especially after he found out Tokio told him. Saitou wasn't one to hold grudges, but especially after the maiming incident, Nagakura played it safe and kept his distance.

So, Saitou finished training, had a bath and went back to his room…to find her letter sitting at his office, close to his bed. Huh; interesting. He distinctly recalled leaving it letter-side down. This was letter-side up…and in a slightly different position. Had the spies not been caught only recently by him himself, he would have worried about a possible leak. Now? All he could think of was how low Hijikata was willing to stoop to find his scoop. First following him around and now this? How the mighty have fallen.

Still, he dared not take the damn thing in his hand, not until he was properly dressed and his hair properly bound. He hadn't realised at first, only when he finally opened the envelope to reveal her messy handwriting, he was building up anticipation. As if it was something special.

But it wasn't; it was a simple letter. He shook his head and, taking a deep breath, started reading.

Dear Hajime,

Greetings! I hope this letter finds you in good health. I know how prone to violence you all are, assignments included, so I hope you stayed out of trouble. Patrols can be dangerous, too, so be careful.

A sentence in and she's already giving him hell. Buddha help him get through this letter—which was quite long, what did she write, every event from every single day?

I happen to still be travelling as I write this letter, so do forgive my messy lines. I had hoped rocks and other hard places served as a good measure, but they proved lacking. A good, hard plank of wood is always the best, but sadly, Teruhime-sama would not let me take out the carriage door.
I'm sorry that was bad a joke. I would never attempt that.

Anyway, as you must have understood, we are still on the road!

Yeah, he did; three weeks on the road? Preposterous! What are those guards doing? Shaking his head, he went back to reading.

Anyway, as you must have understood, we are still on the road! We haven't reached Aizu yet, we decided to take a longer path and that is proving most rewarding. You would not believe the places and landscapes I managed to see this way; their beauty is astounding, yet also indescribable. I feel I would be doing them a disservice to try and put it in words, so I included a sketch. It might not be the best, but I enjoy sketching.

That being said, my spirit has been at an all-time high! The fresh air of the countryside, the beauty of the fields as well as the kindness of strangers has put me in a great mood! Did you know, Teruhime-sama wished to walk through a town so the men were forced to take all six of us there. Of course, that made us targets, but no one told our lady that though I do not know why – I believe I was the first to mention it – so we stayed longer than we should have. When we turned to the road again, the path was blocked! An entire unit of bandits appeared then and tried to rob us. They even asked for my lady as collateral. Before any of the men started fighting though, a most noble man appeared, with his own band of men, and stopped the attack before it really started. Using his own numbers as pressure and the fact they were better armed, smart move. After the bandits quite unwillingly left, he introduced himself as Sagara Souzou and simply vanished. What a good man.

Oh yes, too good; so good in fact that Saitou was of the opinion it was this man that ordered the others to attack just so he can make a good impression on some important lady and maybe have that lady's husband or whatnot indebted to him.

Two days later, we dared to go into another town, only this once I advised Teruhime-sama only the two of us should go with a small entourage of three men; we bought provisions and left without an incident. Admittedly, sleeping in the carriage is a little uncomfortable but it was only for two nights. Teruhime-sama even made one of the men give up his futon to accommodate her and I was mortified! She can be very demanding. So, then I had to sneak it back out, it was quite a little adventure, considering we were in an enclosed space together.

But the hardship was all worth it. We could not really see anything during the night when we stopped – we purposefully went blindly – so we simply stopped the moment the horses grew too tired. But the morning, we woke up and found ourselves facing a breathtakingly beautiful, colourful field of flowers. (That's the sketch I made, shame I couldn't render the different colours)

He immediately reached for the extra piece of paper. Oh, she had a nice hand. He could see details on the flowers; she even took the time to sketch the edge of the carriage to give him perspective. It was truly beautiful. A faint smile came to his lips. No matter what he had said, he was happy for her, for seeing such landscapes.

It was a very special moment for all of us; seeing it at the break of dawn, as we did, gave it gravitas I think. It was the moment we became a real unit. Ochako picked some, too and made us beautiful crowns with them (she gave me the purple ones to match my pin, she's a sweetheart). She's very good with crafts in general, it's a shame she doesn't wish to pursue a career in it, Matsudaira-sama would definitely help her. Ah, I'm getting side tracked again. I conclude it was a rewarding experience. I have the suspicion you would find it unnecessary but ultimately calming; we could practically hear the wind pass through. You would enjoy that, I believe.

He would. But in moderation.

Ah, time is running out, we must move again. They promised to take me to a wonderful little river further up the map – technically, we have passed Aizu by now; we should begin our descent towards it in three days from now – where some special herbs grow. They are quite expensive in Kyoto due to lack of a proper supplier but here, on these northern parts, you can just pluck them from the ground. They grow in abundance, see, the "rarity" of it is simply a construct of the greedy merchants, taking advantage of the rich in the capital. Well, if they are rich they can afford it but not everyone in the capital is rich, yes?

I am sorry, I did not mean for my last comment in this letter to be about our economy, it feels lacklustre. So, I shall leave you with my best wishes! I also wished you were taking this trip, too, as I am certain you would have enjoyed the constant movement and the difference of pace.

Kind regards,
Tokio.

PS If my letter reaches you in a…state, then be informed Teruhime-sama has started developing cabin fever and she is the one responsible, probably. But don't be too hard on her, she needs the distraction.
PPS Send my best wishes to everyone!

When he finished the letter, he was left with conflicting emotions. He enjoyed reading it, she had her way with words; on the other hand, still on the road? At the very least, this must have been written a week ago, so that was some comfort. And of course, she was attacked on her journey. He appreciated nothing about this Sagara character, too; he should ask around about him. But she got to experience things she never would have, otherwise and she was happy.

And that was a good thing.

Then he was left with another dilemma: what would he do with the letter? His first instinct was to bury it, if not destroy it; a lady of her stature should not be writing letters to him. Considering the ban of information Matsudaira had pretty much enforced – no news of their adventures reached anyone's ears, only that they were fine – this would also be some sort of leak, yes? Directly from one of the ladies the ban was set in place to protect, too. Destroying all evidence of it was the wise decision…but he didn't want to.

Alright, he decided: he'd burn the letter. He pocketed the thing and headed to the yard in front of Hijikata's office – on purpose, to show him he wasn't to talk about it to anyone and spite him at the same time – to burn it. He pulled out a match and set it on fire; he watched as Hijikata shook his head at the display. The letter was turned to ashes in a matter of seconds. He watched the wind carrying them away and headed back to his room to get ready for his patrol.

But now, the lock of Tokio's hair on his nightstand had a companion: a little drawing of flowers and a carriage.

.

"Hijikata, do you happen to know who the man Sagara Souzou is?"

Saitou decided to trample on his ego – that's what he was doing if he was asking the vice commander about him, at least it felt like it – and finally ask the one true information broker, after an entire week of digging around and finding absolutely nothing. As long as Tokio was around, Saitou had actually brought many and more accurate information than Hijikata to the unit, but now, what with her absence, his status had been brought down again. And that sadist of a man was very keen to remind him at any chance he got.

"You happen to be talking about the dashing young man who nobly saved Tokio from a bunch of bandits on her journey?"

This is what he got for even trying. He actually turned about and moved to the exit when he heard "I've been keeping an ear out about him, too. In fact, I first heard his name two months prior to this."

He stopped his exit and turned to face the commander again. "And what did you hear?"

"Pretty much the same thing; only it was a merchant with his haul he protected."

"…did he ask for anything in return?"

"Nothing at all."

Saitou was troubled. "What about the bandits?"

"He actually fought them off, there was a small fray; he won." So, he wasn't a con artist? "And the more I asked around about him, the more instances of him helping ladies, merchants and other people on the road through the woods emerged. He seems to be stationed in a certain place, one riddled with outlaws, and keeps travellers safe."

That Saitou did not expect. "They said anything else?"

"He's an idealist. But no one can be perfect; he was heard criticising the shogun on numerous occasions and speaking his name with disdain. He seems not to be fond of the samurai class, too." Saitou appeared thoughtful but also satisfied. Hijikata decided to tease him. "They all agreed on one thing though, especially the women: he was quite pleasing to the eye."

Saitou's eyes became too narrow. "Goodbye; thank you for the information." He didn't sound thankful though, the commander noted with a slight smirk.

Which returned not three days later, when he called Saitou to his office once more. "Commander."

"Saitou, do you take me for your personal secretary?"

Oh wow, that came out of nowhere. "Of course not, sir; why are you-…"

Hijikata produced another letter. Ah. So, this is what this was about. "Then maybe Tokio thinks I am and keeps sending me your letters." Why was he being difficult? It was obvious all the mail of the unit first went to him and Hijikata had to sort through them. "That being said, tell her I said she has a good hand. The drawings are very beautiful."

"What drawings?"

"She included another one; this one is from hot springs in Aizu, very realistic."

"Did you read my letter again?" He couldn't even be angry; only disappointed, nay, defeated.

"Again? You were the one who asked me the first time."

"And then I took it to my room where you found it and read the rest of it."

Hijikata though did not react as expected. "Why the hell would I do that? If I was that curious I would have simply ordered you to leave it here."

"But it wasn't in the same position as I found it…"

Hijikata's eyes grew in surprise, even as he handed over the letter; Saitou's eyes became darker. "You mean to tell me a third person read your letter?" It was funny to him but to the recipient it was unacceptable! "I bet it was Okita."

"I'll kill him," he snapped as he was leaving.

"Sure, but do it properly this time; almost maiming him doesn't count."

"That wasn't on purpose," he defended himself as he was taking the turn for the hallway to his room "stop spreading false information or the new recruits will forever fear me."

Come to think of it, that wasn't too bad.

This once, though, excitement won out and he almost tore the envelope apart! To think Hijikata had already read all of it helped egg him on to get to it faster—and then he'd burn the damn thing before that little shit could sneak in and do anything like last time. Maybe he could leave it lying around as bait though, to flush him out.

The thought put a smile on his face.

Dear Hajime,

Hello! How have you been? I hope no major events took place between my first letter and this one, or if they did they were relatively safe. How are your patrols going? Did you arrest anyone else? I hear the streets of Kyoto are becoming increasingly dangerous at night, please be careful! I know your fondness of the night patrols, be sure to carry two swords with you at all times. Maybe a knife, too.

He loved – and by loved, he meant he was dumbfounded by the fact – she worried about him, the one who was rumoured to be the most ruthless and second strongest member of the entire Shinsengumi, close second to Okita in fact yet treated her own safety as an afterthought.

I am keeping very well, both in health and spirit. I finally reunited with my dearest mother and sweet sisters! Well, not as sweet as I remember them; they are quite sharp tongued and daring with their speeches, but I love them all the more for it. Of course, they found it apt to use that to endlessly complain to me about being away for so long. They know I can't help it, they were simply pouting. They even went as far to say they forgot the shape of their own sister's face! Eh, that is understandable, I did grow some since I last saw them. (when I told them that, they said I grew in general in a very shrew way and I think they referred to my weight; do you think I gained weight between the first and last time you saw me? I don't think so but I can't be sure, I am concerned)

He shook his head; what he paid attention at first time he ever saw her was her waist and how it formed a nice shape compared to her much wider hips that got lost in the water. And last time he saw her all he remembered was his own anger; all in all, he couldn't be of much help.

I have been catching up on so much ever since I arrived – a week prior to writing this letter – I only just now had the time to sit properly down and put my thoughts in order. You see, as we are almost in November now, leaves have started changing colours, others have already fallen; and here in Aizu, the seasons reach us a little faster. Everywhere I look everything is painted with an autumn palette, slowly wearing its winter colours and I think that is very interesting to witness.

Of course, with the creeping cold come the creeping colds; both Teruhime-sama and my youngest have fallen ill in a matter of days since we arrived. I think Teruhime-sama was the source but don't tell her I said that. I am starting to fear, one by one, all of us are going to fall victim to it, but I try my hardest to keep everyone healthy and make the other two feel better.

We are in luck in a sense though; medicinal herbs are much easier to come by and in abundance here, because they grow all around us. I do not mind buying them naturally, and I do, in fact, to support the local apothecaries, but if I need something in a hurry and have no time to venture into the market, I can simply walk out of the grounds, half a kilometre at most, and find what I'm looking for.

Do not worry, it is perfectly safe! But I do take a guard with me. I miss Hachiro though; he would have loved to be here and play in the leaves and the ponds we have! And he would have been a most capable guard to take with me, instead of an actual person. We do not overwork our guards though; we always choose a different one.

Oh! Remember the man I told you about, Sagara Souzou? Apparently, he is siding with the Chousuu men, as I've heard, while he's leading this small band of people that he arms out of his own pocket – he was adopted by the Sagara family, a wealthy samurai family – and upkeeps with donations from people. He has quite the charisma, all the local merchants owe more than just gratitude to him, even if they do not agree with him. (Kachako had developed an adorable infatuation with him and was crushed when she heard where his allegiances lay, poor her; we advised her to pick someone less flashy next time, like Ochako who has a crush on Nagakura-san)

Of course, of course she found out about him. What was up with this woman? Did people randomly walk up to her, thought she looked reliable and decided to spill their guts about anything she asked? Did she have special powers? Did she promise them things in return? Or did they all fall in the trap of "how dangerous can it really be to share this with a woman"? At least she was sensible enough to advise her servant away from the seemingly noble man of the woods. And to think Hijikata implied…he shook his head.

Enough about the stranger. I only met today with my father after nearly a week. He was on a business trip and had to be away. I was truly happy to see him; he, much like everyone else, looks in great health. Of course, him I had seen a little after my birthday, as you undoubtedly recall, so the impact wasn't the same as I saw the rest of my family. (Thankfully, no subject of marriage has been mentioned so far and that has set my heart at ease)

Saitou stopped reading for a moment. She mentioned it so fleetingly, while he had almost forgotten about it and he didn't know why, but it had a strange effect on him, felt like he had to stop reading. An unpleasant feeling lingered until it was dispelled – but not completely – with a shake of his head.

What has been mentioned repeatedly though, was the subject of my kidnapping. I grow increasingly guilty and ashamed just thinking about it. I have to apologise again, as I convey the most heartfelt gratitude of my entire family for finding me when you did. I am so sorry; and they are most thankful.

In an effort to change the mood, I started visiting hot springs again! (these hot springs are half a day's journey from where we are, so we went as a procession, it was very formal, you would have liked it) After the incident with Sa-chan I was a tiny bit afraid of going, but then we went together when you told me of…that and now I feel safe bathing in one again, even without escort. I still take the pin with me though.

He chuckled; involuntarily, he read the last line again.

I still take the pin with me though. It helps to make me feel safe, maybe it feels a little like you are here with me, too keeping me safe.

She—she wrote what? And Hijikata read it!? He felt like dying.

Teruhime-sama teases a lot about it though; in fact, it was when we visited our hot springs here that she got sick. I advised her to put on her robe even between intervals – remember, never stay more than twenty consecutive minutes in the water – but she disregarded me. And now she's sick. Ah, if only people listened to me…oh I forgot! I included a sketch of our hot springs. They are very beautiful, I wanted to show them to you. Even if you are not quite fond of them anymore – and I fear it is because of me, sorry – I think you will still appreciate the beauty of it.

He unfolded the sketch.

He was treated to another detailed rendition of an idyllic landscape: the background was a towering waterfall that spilled water into the pools underneath, five in number. The rest of the mountain was visible, too, giving it the feeling they had to actually climb it up to find the springs. Judging by how everything was positioned in this drawing, he figured she was sitting in front of the fourth one, to get the best perspective possible: the foreground consisted of said pools, surrounded by rock and flora that consisted of rounded by the flowing water fist-sized stones and some bigger rocks closer to the waterfall. The grass was still green, and the wildflowers still alive; the trees on the mountainside tall and proud. And at the left side of the picture, the water and the ground ended, giving way to a cliff of the mountain and a relative view of the town underneath.

He took a moment to absorb everything. Shit, he was jealous now. Those hot springs were exactly the sort of place he would love to visit and meditate at. Shamelessly this once, he took the picture and put it next to the other one.

When we returned from out little outing, Teruhime-sama and Taka fell ill, mother was happy to have me in one place for more than an hour and father returned. He brought me a present, too; it was a crème, with pink flower designs vase that had been previously broken and the potter put it back together with gold. I love that technique. He then gave me a brand-new tea set to bring back to Matsudaira-sama as a gift. They were both very beautiful, same craftsman. My mother too bought a gift for his excellency's wives, one for each; they are uniquely beautiful shawls, threaded by the best of silk. I shall present all of them to our lord with pride.

I hope, when I return and get to give those gifts, I find things have not changed too much. I know things haven't been calm lately for even here in Aizu, removed from the capital as it is, there's been an increase in military activity, yet I hope everyone's been keeping as well as possible and the talks of the war I hear lately die down completely.

One can only hope.

Kind regards,
Tokio.

That was one hell of a depressing note to end the letter; but reality is what it is. And things have been nothing but the calm before the storm so far. He hoped she was the one in the right, but he knew sometimes tensions rose too high. They needed to be released. The signs so far pointed to it anyway.

He sighed. Time to burn another letter.

"Aw, Tokio-chan has such a good eye! She really chose the best angle to draw this from."

Saitou hadn't heard the short man enter, but the fact he came so close without realising, put Saitou in full alert. He was half-way pulling his sword to attack when he registered who it was and put it back in, glaring daggers. "Quite a good hand, too—no backtracking or double lines. I like both, but personally, I prefer the field of flowers."

"…were you the one who read my letter last time?"

"Oh, you mean the one you so carelessly left on top of your desk? If yes, then no, I didn't." Saitou hit him on the shins with his now sheathed sword. "Hey! I really didn't, okay? I just confirmed the sender was Tokio-chan and left it alone."

"Confirmed?"

"Just because I act childish most of the times, does not mean I cannot act like an adult when the situation calls for it."

"Meaning…?"

"Do you remember the night we were patrolling the Matsudaira estate and you thought you heard something? When Tokio-chan's dad came to visit."

Okita was digging deep! "Yes, I recall."

"Well, even when we were relieved of duty, that next night you were there, yes?"

"…yes."

But it was Okita who suddenly seemed to be unwilling to speak. "Don't let this get to your head, younger than me Saitou-kun," he emphasised the nickname, relishing how he flinched at the sound of it "but you are usually right about these things. So, when I saw you were leaving late but not coming with us, I…followed you. And guess who I ran into, other than you."

Shit. "You saw."

He was proud. "I did."

"You said nothing though; all this time you knew, and said nothing."

This is why spending time with Tokio was a bad idea; now he felt touched by Okita keeping his secret without being told. Damn.

"Which is why I said, simply because I choose to act a certain way, doesn't mean I can't choose to act another."

"You even pretended to be clueless." He shrugged, arrogant, as Saitou started shaking his head. "Does anyone else know?"

"Nope; just me. And Hijikata. And you. Just the three of us."

A heavy sigh escaped him. "I see…"

"Don't worry Saitou-kun; I will keep your secret!"

"Stop calling me that or you won't have a tongue to spill it with."

Okita started trembling, laughter taking the better of him. "I still have arms to write with!"

"Oh, you can write? Amazing."

"Saitou-san, that was mean…!"

Arguing, they made their way to the yard, where Saitou burned the letter. This one didn't need to be made into an example, so they simply chose the spot closer to the training grounds. As such, immediately afterwards, they went to practise and maybe duel a little again. Fighting each other always helped them improve after all and they needed to be at their best if they were to face the dangers that were to come.

.

In the span of three months, Saitou had received six letters from Tokio. Two letters per month in average. One letter every fifteen days. And with each letter came a nice sketch that joined the others: the third was a detailed one. It was a sketch of a flower that she informed him had great medicinal benefits, left drying on a desk next to an inkwell, a brush used for writing and two drops of ink splattered on the wood between the last two. At the top of the page was a beautiful hair brush, too, decorated with flowers and gemstones.

The fourth was…a woman. A woman that bore a striking resemblance to Tokio, only older; her mother. She was sitting on a chair with her hands folded, looking off into the distance. She was regal and serious, but he could tell she was a kind woman. The way Tokio worked her material made her look soft and almost radiating. Now that was a mother loved.

The fifth was definitely to his taste: Tokio had taken a tour around the city and captured a moment she witnessed between two militia men: full gear on, brandishing their weapons, they posed threateningly. They had no helmets on, though, so Saitou was nearly certain this had happened at a kabuki theatre or maybe some show of power from the Aizu-han…well, acting Aizu-han, seeing Matsudaira was right there at Kyoto with him, and decidedly not in Aizu.

The sixth was maybe the one that actually caused him some real, strong feelings. Tokio had drawn a line of items—or should he say, some items that she had put in some sort of line. At first it made no – or at least little – sense. Why would she draw these and send them? They were, in this exact order, the following: the pin he had given her as a gift next to another hairbrush, a less flashy one, a handheld mirror decorated with flowers at the band and vines at the handle, a ribbon for hair, a real rose placed in the simple band of a plain-looking ring, with nothing but a modest gem on top of it and all of those were next to a burning candle. That's how he knew they were all laid out on a night stand, her night stand, while the edge of a futon was visible.

That wasn't what caused his stomach to flip though. What was, were the scribblings of someone who obviously wasn't Tokio, at the back side of the drawing and at the very end of on the right: Tokio's most prized possessions, from left to right.

That pain in his chest returned, but now it was accompanied by something pleasant and warm. But it was December now, end of in fact, and things were getting pretty cold everywhere else but his chest area; not just because of the weather, also due to the progressively deteriorating relations between the two sides. Casual fights and duels to the death in the remote street corners after dark wasn't even an alarming occurrence anymore, they just happened. Some even included Shinsengumi men, and not because, like the time they first formed, some had gone drunk with power, but because people, mostly Chousuu sympathisers, were outright targeting them.

Saitou himself was ambushed at least seven times; he arrested three people and killed ten. They should have picked a wiser fight, if anyone asked him; they should have sent someone better, too…someone like the one who has been killing the rest of the Shinsengumi men in those remote corners. There was a man and he was wielding his sword with alarming deadliness. Most of their spies in Chousuu territory and many of their men, ended up dead sporting similar injuries. It couldn't be a coincidence. These samurai weren't a unit, taught to fight by the same person, so no two people could have the same technique. The perpetrator was the one and the same.

And when he presented his findings to the commander and the vie - aka real - commander, they both agreed. No matter who this person was, he had to be found and killed. He was dealing more decisive blows than entire units. Had it not been for Tokio's letters, Saitou would have been obsessed with finding out the identity of this person, or at least that's what Okita would say all the time. Nagakura also teased, but when Saitou once asked him "how long have Tokio's hair gotten? She had said once she needed a haircut" eluding to the fact he dared to see her with her hair down – a big no-no – he dropped it. But only for a little while.

Then January came around too soon, but too late; Tokio had indeed stayed home for the New Year, it seems, while Takahiro-sensei, viewing the women's holidays as his opportunity to kick back himself, used this chance to go visit his own family in Hokkaido. Of course, he left a week after them and was back by the time Saitou received his new assignment, but that was beside the point.

Literally, Saitou received his assignment the same day the month rolled in: go to Osaka as an escort to the Shogun and his family and keep them safe. Everyone was taking their pre-New Year's leave, apparently, going to visit family in faraway places and the shogun was no exception. And Saitou was to guard him on his way there, during his visit, and his way back.

There could not be a bigger honour in a warrior's life than this, he decided and was proud to be a part of it. So, on the second day of January, he departed for Osaka in the company of many more men, guarding the shogun and his family. What surprised him was that he must have been the only member of the Shinsengumi there; also, he was given a good position: third in the chain of command of the warriors. The first one was shogun's personal guard, the same he had for ten years now; the second one was the man's nephew, who was also an exceptional swordsman and in the service for the past three years.

And then it was him.

He could barely wrap his head around it. Things were really going well for him. And when he successfully manoeuvred the men into protecting the Tokugawa family minus the shogun in the absence of both of his superiors – who had escorted the man to a secret meeting – he was given even more accolades and promised many rewards. And of course, in light of those events, he was not only commended by the shogun himself, he practically became equal in rank with the second in command, who also congratulated and accepted him.

And when they had to leave for Fushimi, almost a couple of weeks later, he was given the honour of first ride.

When he returned to Kyoto, after he escorted the shogun to Nijojo castle – the imperial palace – he had to take a very long moment, standing on his horse, thinking about all that happened. Two years ago, he would have never imagined such a life for himself. On the run, ashamed, masterless. And now he could tell people he had been given a compliment by the shogun himself. What a crazy year…

The cherry on top of the cake was his return: he was greeted at the door of Mibu Headquarters by a smirking Nagakura, first thing as he approached, fixing the glasses on his nose. "And the prodigal son returns," he almost shouted to be heard over the horse and the usual sounds.

Okita smiled good naturedly but turned his head back into the building and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Saitou-san is back everyone!"

Harada shook his head. "Here he is, riding on his horse like some samurai of the old. Tell us, o Great Hajime, how was your run with the man himself?"

He smirked. "Are you going to keep this up? I can stay out here all day."

They laughed, as throngs of people made an appearance at the door; the moment they saw him, all thought of conversation went out the door, as everyone crowded him, eager to know details of his assignment. No less than thirty people accosted him with questions and exclamations – and assumptions – about what he did in the end, and it took about an hour and a half to make the five-minute walk from the stable, where he watered his horse and left it to eat and rest, to Hijikata's office. Of course, once there, all but the silent companion Okita disappeared in as if in a puff of smoke.

"Nice to see Hijikata is as scary as ever."

"He's been a special flavour of testy this past week." The "why" from Saitou was silent, spoken with but a look; one that Okita returned with a mischievous smirk and a very satisfied gleeful shine in his eyes. "You are about to find out; you'll love it."

They exchanged looks but they didn't match; Saitou's suspicious, almost worried one was met with a very meaningful, nearly suggestive one from the short man. And now he was starting to get worried. He knocked on the door and in light of the latest news, opened it only after he heard the vice commander allow him in.

He bowed. "Hijikata-san; I am back and ready to give my report."

Hijikata actually clicked his tongue, without even looking up. "Write it up later and send it to me." He looked up. "Why are you here, shrimp?"

"I wanted to be present for this."

Hijikata shook his head defeated; whatever. He addressed Saitou again. "You've been back for over an hour but only just came to me, why?"

"The men were asking me things, about the shogun mostly and what sort of services I provided. They were very enthusiastic, I couldn't get away earlier."

Okita chuckled; Hijikata sighed exasperated. "I see. Here," the commander produced a letter and threw it immediately at him. Despite taking him by complete surprise, he still caught it. "Read it and you'll understand." He clicked his tongue with distaste once more. "Just be quick about it."

"What, now? I have to-"

"—train, take a bath and then read it, we know; yet we have no time for your rituals right now, just get it over with."

He had no ritual, what where they-…wait, they were right. He did do that, nearly every single time. Huh, he hadn't noticed at all. He couldn't be bothered being impressed though, not when one was practically bursting at the seams with excitement while the other acted annoyed by his mere existence – or the letter's, it wasn't clear –.

He opened the already opened letter – of course – and realised for a moment he had forgotten about Tokio; but the anticipation, when he realised, came back full force. He had been absorbed by his work and had no time to think of her, yet as the dust settled, he was almost tingly to see it. Granted, he would have preferred to be informed she returned rather than she sent a letter, but no such luck. Maybe, in some deep part of his mind, he only pretended to forget about her letters, so he could be surprised when they told him one was waiting for him. No one would ever know.

Dear Hajime,

How have you been? I hope the weather hasn't gotten too cold there. Here is already frosty and the snowfall heavy; if it weren't such a well-travelled place, the roads would have long been blocked, but we are alright. Mum's been doing her best to keep all of us warm – Teruhime-sama complains, but deep down loves it, I can see it on her face when she thinks we aren't looking –. In that vein, if you are ever cold and can't seem to be able to warm yourself, drink lukewarm water and change your socks; they work wonders.

But the weather is not all that bad; with the cold, comes something good: the welcoming of a new year. And New Year preparations have already started here! They are very fancy and extravagant, you'd hate it, but they allow for a unique celebratory experience at the turn of the year, when everyone is out having fun. The fireworks are impressive, and the paper constructs are to be envied even in the capital! They hold a parade for soldiers, too (that you would definitely like). In fact, there's something for everyone; new jewellery for the lavish tastes, kimonos threaded specially for the day being delivered all over, weapons finished for the warriors, and fireworks are being brought in in bulk.

It's very exciting to watch even the preparations. Imagine if you were to see the celebration itself…! From up close. As in, you are there to see it happen first hand and not through other people's accounts.

What I'm trying – and failing – to say is, you are invited to spend the New Year's week in Aizu!

He stopped reading. He was what now?

What I'm trying – and failing – to say is, you are invited to spend the New Year's week in Aizu!

Alright, he didn't read that wrong.

What I'm trying – and failing – to say is, you are invited to spend the New Year's week in Aizu! Father decided it would be a great experience for anyone and why not invite you, who helped so much in all manner of way, to witness it? Of course, my letter is not the formal invitation, of course. Obviously. Father will send a formal one to Matsudaira-sama, who includes him, all of his wives, the Shinsengumi commanders and few select special members such as Okita-san, yourself, Nagakura-san and Harada-san. A man named Takeda I think was included, too for he is friendly with Kondou-sama.

That snake weaselled his way into this, too, Saitou could barely believe it.

I know what you must be thinking right now: if father sends an invitation, why did I send this letter to tell you? well, my letter is a precursor to father's. As I write this, father hasn't even asked me what to write in his own invitation. Naturally, I will be writing that one, too but that's beside the point. My point is, I wanted to let you know beforehand, so you could take care any assignments you might have or left-over cases and make the time to come! I know you will enjoy your time here; and to be sure, Kyoto can survive a week without you, yes?

Please, please come! Tama-chan commands you! (you shall meet Tama-chan in the sketch I provided)

Kind regards, her faithful subject,
Tokio.

More curious than ever, he unfolded the second piece of paper to see who this person was that Tokio seemed to think had any power over anyone, how much more him. But when he did, he tried his hardest not to smile; to hide his mirth, he put a hand on his forehead and stayed like that for two long seconds.

The drawing showed two things: a girl, whose face was concealed by Tama-chan and Tama-chan herself: a cute, black fat cat that was looking away from whoever viewed the drawing, as if they weren't worthy to be seen. Whoever was holding it – one of the sisters – had extended its front right paw to look like it was giving an absolute command.

"She invited us to spend the New Year in Aizu," the "oh, yes" Okita shouted was ignored "what's the problem?"

"That letter arrived a week ago; and three days ago, Matsudaira-sama received this." Hijikata held up a very formal looking letter and he immediately knew it was the formal invitation. "We took it from his hands because he stopped reading after he saw the name Kondou Isami, apparently," he was being sarcastic, never a good sign "and he is all but thrilled to go there. He hasn't been in Aizu for so long, he said, it would be a great honour and opportunity for us to go, too."

"I still don't understand the problem."

"I have to decline the shogun's invitation now, that's the problem! He had invited us to the very same thing a month ago, both Matsudaira-sama and us, but now, because your girlfriend missed you and has everyone wrapped around her cat's little finger, we must travel to Aizu to see fireworks!"

"But if the shogun invited us first-"

"No, he doesn't get priority, because he actually wavered it! He said he has no intention of travelling there himself, but understands why Matsudaira would want to go and how he couldn't say no to this and how we should all go and see that place's beauty first hand." He actually growled and nearly made the hand which was holding the invitation into a fist. Okita chuckled at the man's ire, only casing it to grow. "And then there's this idiot who keeps a stupid smile on his face, saying that this is his chance to ask her hand from her father."

"Pfff, you don't stand a chance," Saitou dismissed him.

"You're only saying that because Hijikata-san has made your head big by calling her your girlfriend."

He snorted with laughter. "I'm only saying it because it's true; didn't you hear? She managed to make the shogun concede to her father's invitation that not only she wrote, but also orchestrated in existence. She's not for the likes of us."

"I am thrilled you admitted your girlfriend is the mastermind, but this doesn't get us anywhere."

"She's not his girlfriend." Okita was adamant.

Hijikata glared. "She's not marrying you either so I don't see the point of your anger."

He shook his head at their antics. "If you are so against it, why don't you just stay behind?"

It was a stupid question and he knew even before he made it; he even knew the answer to it but he had to pose it, so he could watch the commander implode. Payback was sweet.

"You know very well why! Staying in Matsudaira's good graces is better in the long run; besides, if I decided to stay back alone, what would that paint me as to the shogun? And then there's the issue of Kondou, who was over the moon when the formal invitation arrived."

"How did the others react?"

"Oh, they lapped it up!" Okita had to step in and tell him; Hijikata was having all the fun, he wanted in on it, too. "Kept saying how wonderful Tokio-chan was to invite them and how sweet she is to even consider them on the first place."

"How can the poor bastards now she's only doing it to get him to be with her on New Year's?" As the commander snorted his anger, Saitou felt a rush; his ego started growing, he could feel it blow up with each of his superior's jabs. Truth or not, it was very satisfying to think people thought that way. "Spoiled little brat, always has to have her way."

"We all contributed to that, though, didn't we? It was you who said you loved how she was being selfish and ended up getting us the post as Shinsengumi."

"That was bound to happen, sooner or later!"

"But thanks to her, it happened sooner."

"Big deal!"

"You have to take the bad with the good; she's a great informant, too right?" At the man's panic, he assured "Okita said he knew from the very first moment, he just never said anything."

Shaking his head, the commander put his face in his hands. Try as he might, Saitou couldn't hide his satisfaction though; Okita and him were looking between themselves with secret smirks. "I suppose we shall be going to Aizu in half a month then?"

That was the final blow; distaste, annoyance and defeat appeared on his face. He barked a "yes. We leave on the 1st of February."

"Awesome, right?"

"Indeed; Tama-chan commands it."

A/N: Aaaand cut! Feeeew, this turned into a monster. But (hashtag)no ragrets. I am sorry, I love that meme. Hope you enjoyed the ride lovelies. Please drop a line or two on the way out to tell me what you thought.

Kisses,
FAI.