What used to be 'them', and 'the Shinsengumi' was now 'us'. It was 'Shin-kun' and 'Okita-kun' and 'Chizuru-chan'. It was Harada Sanosuke and everything he filled her being with.

And one day would come, that she would be asked to leave them all behind.

The thought made a chocked sob rise to her throat, and she was glad she had refused Chizuru's invitation to walk back to their rooms together. No one could see her like this. Not Chizuru, not Shinpachi, and most of all, not Sano. He'd keep asking, she knew. He'd keep asking and she'd cave because his voice and his warmth did funny things to her.

And she'd tell him everything, every last secret in her heart, and she simply couldn't do that. She'd never put that burden on him. He wasn't responsible for her heart and she'd be damned if she allowed anything to ruin the numbered days of friendship they still had together, herself included.

So, suck it up, Sakura. Put a smile on your face and be like you've always been. Nurturing a broken heart…You're a master of that trade, after all.

Realizing she had reached her door, Sakura glanced one last time at the night sky and entered her room.

Immediately, the hairs at the back of her neck stood on edge and she whipped out a kunai, ready to pounce on the intruder.

"Why, hello there, Sa-ku-ra. I think it's about time you and I had a proper chat."

Blond hair, red eyes. Sitting on her bed was none other than Kazama Chikage.

Overcoming her momentary surprise, Sakura fell into a battle stance. "What the hell are you doing in my room?"

The man waved his hand dismissively, leaning back on her futon like he owned it and looking incredibly pleased with himself. "Put that thing away, you won't need it. If I intended to hurt you, I would have done it already. You can trust that I come in peace."

Sakura snorted at that, maintaining her grip on the kunai. "I trust you as much as I'd trust a wolf to guard a herd of sheep."

Kazama chuckled, and the velvety sound that slipped from his lips was in total contrast to the chill that seemed to cling to him. "You're a smart woman. Which is why I'm here today."

"I hardly think you sneaked into my bedroom to compliment my intelligence."

"You are, of course, correct." He motioned to the empty space beside him. "Why don't you sit?"

Sakura crossed her arms across her chest. "I don't think so. My sitting arrangement does not affect your tongue. And you better start using it before my patience runs out."

Kazama spent a few seconds sweeping her form with his eyes. His gaze was penetrating, and even more unnerving that Sasuke's was. "I shall get to the point then. I want you to join me."

Out of everything he could have said, Sakura never saw that one coming. "What? Is this some sort of joke?"

His eyes hardened. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't insult me. I did not come here to jest."

Apprehensive and insanely curious, Sakura raised her eyebrow at him. "If I recall correctly, you do not concern yourself with 'little mortals' such as me. What changed?"

He shifted on her bed. "Certain…exceptions can be made. You possess a power that I want. And while I'd never deign to breed with vermin, no matter how powerful or pleasing to the eyes, I could use an ally such as yourself."

"Your way of trying to convince me is atrocious."

He smiled and that quirk of his lips sent an unpleasant shiver down Sakura's spine.

"Allow me to rephrase then. You may join me, and you have my word that I shall not harm a hair on your friends' heads."

Sakura's eyes narrowed instantly, and with a flick of her wrist, her kunai lodged itself in the wood beside his head. "You do not want to make that mistake, Kazama. I do not respond well to threats."

"Perhaps. I'm so very good at delivering them, though. It'd be a shame not to give you a taste."

Sakura growled low in her throat, taking a step forward. "I think you have overstayed your welcome."

"Do you love your village, Sa-ku-ra? Do you love Konoha?"

The medic's eyes flashed dangerously at the mention of Konoha. "Konoha has nothing to do with this."

"Yet. Your loyalty to the Shinsengumi is misplaced, to say the least, and whether you realize it or not, you risk dragging your people into a conflict that was never yours to begin with."

"Are you threatening me with war on Konoha?"

"Threatening? Not at all. I'm merely stating the facts." Cold and calculating, his red gaze searched her face. "Make no mistake, Tokugawa will fall, and his allies will fall with him, your Shinsengumi included. You wouldn't want your precious Konoha to suffer, would you? From what I hear, you just got out of a war yourselves. It would be a shame if, say, the trading routes that supply your village were to close indefinitely. Wouldn't that be a disaster?"

Sakura gritted her teeth. "Konoha is not weak, and we have all the Hidden Villages on our side. An attack on any of them would result in the decimation of your forces. You're a fool to think the opposite."

He chuckled darkly. "You are so naïve, Sa-ku-ra. Do you really believe that real wars are fought on the battlefield? Your battle-hardened shinobi mind is so one-dimensional. No wonder you choose to stay so isolated. No, little pet, real battles are fought around the diplomatic tables, and behind closed doors."

"You underestimate us."

He waved her off. "Or you overestimate yourselves. You shinobi are strong, but you are still human. Your current society is unstable, pliable, ripe to be taken and molded through the greed of your political leaders. And I," he said, "have enough sway both in this world and yours to bring your precious Konoha to its knees. Surely, you did not think that Edo is the only place inhabited by Oni. Your Hidden Villages are full of them, hiding in plain sight. You've given some of them enough political power to influence things in my favor. I should thank you for that. Your revered Fire Daimyo? A spineless creature who owes my family more than he can repay in this life and the next."

Oni? On our councils? Do the Hidden Villages even know? And the Fire Daimyo…I need to get this to Kakashi as soon as possible. He's bluffing, it can't possibly be true.

Her grip tightened on the hilt of her sword. "So, what is it? Either I join you or you declare some sort of international embargo on Konoha?"

"To start with, yes. Though to be honest, I'm completely disinterested in the affairs of your village. While I'm not above using the aces up my sleeve, I'd rather we didn't resort to that. Way too much time and effort for a bunch of pests. Perhaps we should opt for a shortcut, hm?"

Sakura felt herself flush with anger, but she managed to rein her emotions in. "What kind of shortcut?"

"You and I both know that you have sway here. These men listen to you, for better or for worse. Convince them that it's in their best interests to stay out of the fight and join me. Once I repay my debt to the Satsuma, we can talk about catching bigger fish. Do those simple tasks and you have my word that I will not slaughter every single one of your Shinsegumi friends while I force you to watch. You can't protect them all, little pet. It would be a shame if anything were to happen to them. What was the name of that man you were with? Harada? You wouldn't want to find his head outside your door, would you?"

Sakura's blood ran cold, and she unsheathed her katana without thinking. "You bastard!"

"Oh? Did I hit a nerve? How interesting." He stood, and dusted his clothes calmly, his imposing presence turning the atmosphere in the room stifling. "Put that away, little pet. We shall not fight, not today."

Sakura's nerves nearly reached their breaking point when he walked up to her and took her chin between his fingers. "Think carefully, little pet. A lot of things depend on your decision." Lowering his face to hers, he hummed thoughtfully. "I was right. For a human, you really are pleasing to the eye." Smirking, he placed a chaste kiss on the corner of her mouth, leaving her too stunned to react. "I'll return for your answer. Make sure it's the right one."

He disappeared just as suddenly as he had appeared, but Sakura remained rooted to the spot, looking at the dent left in her mattress by his body. Finally snapping out of her daze, she scrambled to write a quick letter to Kakashi-sensei, hoping that her words would be enough to convince him to investigate the matter of the Fire Daimyo and the Council. She had zero evidence and it was highly likely that Kazama was simply trying to scare her into a deal, but she was not willing to take any chances. She only hoped Kakashi would share the sentiment.

Summoning one of Katsuyu's daughters, she ordered the little slug to take the message back to Konoha as soon as possible with strict orders to deliver it to the Hokage, and him alone.

Alone in her room once more, Sakura's legs gave out from beneath her and she fell to her knees, staring off in the distance.

What am I supposed to do now?

XxxxX

If Chizuru noticed her sour mood the next day when she arrived outside her door to fetch her, she didn't say a thing. Sakura was thankful for that, though she knew some of the captain's would be harder to avoid. Nagakura tended to speak his mind without thinking, and Souji was sharp as a whip. Sanosuke would notice too. He always did, so adept at reading her as he had become.

She dreaded the upcoming meeting with Kondou and the others. She had yet to decide what to do about Kazama's proposition, and she wasn't sure what to tell the others. There was absolutely no way she was going to take Kazama up on his offer, but she had to be methodical. Her village was directly implicated and despite trusting Kondou and Hijikata enough, she had no intention of revealing sensitive information. What she needed was a plan. A plan that would keep both Konoha and the Shinsengumi safe without dragging them into this mess.

Chizuru left to go prepare tea the moment they arrived outside the main hall, and Sakura took a deep breath to regain her composure. Plastering a pleasant expression on her face, she knocked on the door and entered.

"Good morning. I hope I'm not interrupting."

All heads turned to her, and she wanted to roll her eyes at the scrutiny of some, one of them being Kanryusai. Since their little argument the other day, the man's hatred seemed to have increased tenfold.

"Yo, Sakura-chan!"

Kondou smiled at her widely. "Sakura, welcome. We were just discussing our options for our new headquarters. We could use your insight. I understand that you know a few things about portable units?"

"That is correct, Kondou-san, though my expertise pertains more to medical units and field hospitals. Nevertheless, I'll help you to the best of my ability."

Hijikata sighed. "The Yagi have been good to us so far, but this place is getting crowded."

Sanosuke nodded. "True, it is getting a little small, especially with the new guys coming in."

"Man, if we could move to a new place that would be great. The dorms are getting stifling."

"Nagakura's right. The guys over at Maekawa residence are practically smushed sushi, the way they sleep." Sano sighed. "Ah, to be a young grunt these days. I wish there was something we could do for them."

Souji scoffed. "Easy for us to say but imagine trying to find who else is willing to let us stay at their place. I mean, we are Kyoto's most hated."

"May I borrow the lady's eye?"

Sakura turned at the sound of those words to find Itou Kashitaro looking at her with his usual pleasant smile. He was one of the recruits Heisuke had managed to secure. If she recalled correctly, he had even tutored Todou at one point. A strategist and military advisor, with a good head for numbers. For some reason, Sakura had taken an instant dislike to him.

"Of course, Itou-san. What would you have me look at?"

"Take a look at this." he said, pointing at a dot on a map. "What do you think of this location? I hear you have field experience, so perhaps you could enlighten us."

For a moment, Sakura examined the map thoughtfully. "Considering the map's scale, I'd say the place is large enough to house a few hundred men. The tactical advantage would allow for better fortification in times of panic. If you notice here," she said, indicating a spot, "and here, there are hills. Higher ground, good vantage points. Outposts could be set with scouts on rotation. Unless the enemy is invisible, they will be seen before they manage to get within attacking distance. May, I ask, what location is that, Itou-san?"

"That's the Nishi Hongwan ji temple, Haruno-san."

Kanryusai crossed his arms across his chest. "I don't see any reason for them to accept us."

"Perhaps," Itou said. "However, that does not negate the points our lovely medic made." He directed a smile in her direction. "Additionally, it is well known that the Nishi used to shelter the Choshu ronin. If we move to the Nishi Hongwan ji temple, it will be an advantageous hiding spot from the ronin."

Kondou clapped his hands. "Ah! I see! Very good points. I can't believe you put this much detail into it. Also, thank you for your insight, Sakura."

Kondou seemed impressed, but a voice in the back of Sakura's head protested. Keisuke seemed to share the sentiment, and he did not hesitate to speak up about it.

"Don't you think it a bit…uncouth, to use force against men of the cloth?"

Itou's brow twitched, as if disturbed by the idea and faced Sannan directly. "Would you say that to the Choshu ronin who inhabited the temple and did as they pleased?" Then, he smiled. "But my, aren't you nice, Sannan. You're even considering the feelings of outlaw ronin who actively disrupt the peace of Kyoto."

Itou's deflection of Sannan's words left a bitter taste in Sakura's mouth, another sentiment Keisuke seemed to share.

"I agree that this extremist Imperial Nationalist party must be dealt with, but this seems…"

"So, what are you saying?

All heads turned to the man standing beside Itou with his arms crossed and an annoyed expression contorting his features. Sakura fought to keep the scowl off her face. Allegedly Itou's younger brother by blood, Miki Saburo was a brat who had taken it upon himself to antagonize her every chance he got. He considered her inferior, and he never bothered to hide it.

"When we meet them in a fight," he said, "do you expect them to respect the Shinsengumi on name alone, and to engage in a fight, fair and square?" He cackled. "Wouldn't it just be peachy if all those Choshu ronin were on their best behavior, like a Kamakura warrior?"

Itou patted his brother's arm. "Saburo, watch your mouth now, darling."

The man chuckled. "Heh, my mistake. Couldn't help myself."

Itou turned to the room and smiled his foxy grin. "Apologies, everyone. This young one, here, tends to let his mouth run free, you see." He shifted his attention to Keisuke. "So, Sannan, don't take it too personally. I'm sure we need a person like you to make the Shinsengumi succeed. Even if your injury has left you unable to draw a blade your indubitable wit-"

Unable to hold her tongue anymore, and feeling defensive of Keisuke, Sakura stepped forward. "Itou-san, who told you that Sannan-san is unable to draw a blade?"

"No one specific, Haruno-san. Word goes around."

She giggled prettily, plastering a pleasant expression on her face. "You should probably double-check your sources, Itou-san."

"What do you mean, Haruno-san?"

She pinned him with a look. "I saw to Sannan-san's treatment myself, Itou-san. Didn't you know? His arm has healed completely and is fully functional." She tilted her head to the side, smiling sweetly. "You're a distinguished scholar. It's unbecoming to fall prey to such unsubstantiated gossip."

Miki scowled. "Watch how you address a man far above you, woman."

Immediately, the atmosphere grew tense and before she could respond, Sanosuke and Nagakura stepped forward.

Sano regarded the man with hard eyes. "You might want to keep those thoughts to yourself, Miki."

Shinpachi nodded, crossing his arms across his chest. "Sakura-chan has saved our hides numerous times before. She's one of us."

Someone came to stand beside her, and Sakura looked up to see Hijikata looking at the two men with a sour expression on his face.

"Itou. Sannan is smart, like you said. But above all else, he is a swordsman of the Shinsengumi. Even if his injury had rendered him unable to pick up a sword, he'd still be as irreplaceable as he is today." Hijikata's words were hard, resolute, and for the umpteenth time since her arrival, Sakura understood why he was the Shinsengumi's Vice Commander.

Saburo scoffed. "You let a woman run around the compound giving your men orders, Hijikata. And carrying a sword, nonetheless. How disgraceful."

Toshizo's eyes narrowed. "She can have that sword pressed to your throat in the blink of an eye, Miki. She has proven her skill many times before, and she is one of the Shinsengumi. It would serve you to remember that."

To say that Sakura was surprised would be an understatement. She had expected Sanosuke and Shinpachi to jump to her defense, but she had never foreseen Hijikata doing the same, and so vehemently at that. Warmth flooded her being, moved by their words.

They consider me one of them?

The realization was equals parts heartwarming and soul-crushing. It made the prospect of leaving all the more difficult to deal with.

It seems that no matter what I do, I'll end up hurting the people I care about.

Gods, she felt like such a traitor for even thinking that she had to decide between Konoha and Kyoto. It should be easy. Every fiber of her being should be screaming 'Konoha' and 'Naruto' and 'Sasuke' and 'Kakashi.'

But it wasn't. Her insides were a jumbled mess, a cacophony of voices. And the loudest of them all howled Sanosuke's name.

"Oh dear, I didn't mean to cause such a fuss. Next time I'll keep my thoughts to myself." Itou said apologetically. Then, he turned to head. "I apologize on the young one's behalf, Haruno-san. As I said, the impulsivity of his youth causes him to speak without thinking sometimes."

Somehow, Sakura doubted every single word he said, but she kept that to herself.

"You are quite the beloved member here, aren't you, Haruno-san? It's so nice to see such a tight-knit group. You must be a really charming woman to have won the favor of so many Shinsengumi captains."

Sakura had to keep herself from sputtering in disbelief. Did he…Did he just insinuate…

In the corner of her eye, she noticed a dark shadow cross Sanosuke's face and she realized he was just a second away from giving Itou a piece of his mind. Subtly, she pulled the sleeve of his uniform to stop him, and fortunately, he seemed to get the message, though his eyes remained angry.

Plastering a pleasant smile on her face, she addressed Itou. "I assure you, Itou-san, that if you ever find yourself knocking on death's door, I will show you exactly how charming I can be while piecing you back together."

Feeling the tension in the room reach new highs, Kondou immediately tried to restore order. "Well, for now, let's keep business strictly in terms of finding a new headquarters location. Itou, would you mind coming with me? I would love to continue our previous conversation about a new base."

The man smiled. "Of course, I'd love to."

Seeing the two get up, Takeda followed suit. "Chief Kondou! May I join as well?"

"Of course; I want you to hear what Itou has to offer and broaden your views. Even the captains of the Shinsengumi must push themselves to learn more than fighting. It is our responsibility to strive to gain knowledge and get better."

Takeda nodded. "Yes, sir."

With the departure of the three, Sakura's attention was pulled to Miki, who still stood before them.

Noticing her gaze, he smirked at her coldly, and slinked off to leave the room.

Once Miki's footsteps weren't audible, Souji groaned in agitation. "Ugh, who brought those bastards into the Shinsengumi?"

Shinpachi crossed his arms across his chest. "The culprit's still in Edo. Damn it, Heisuke…When he gets back, I'm gonna give him a few punches."

"I got a better idea. I'm gonna save my punches for that bastard Miki."

Sighing, Sakura put a placating hand on Sanosuke's bicep. "Don't talk like that, Sano-kun. Whether you like it or not, they are part of the Shinsengumi now. Although…"

"Although?" he probed, looking at her questioningly.

"From what I know, Itou is with the Imperial Nationalist party, right? Doesn't it surprise you to see people with the same beliefs as the Choshu forces joining the Shinsengumi?"

Hijikata hummed thoughtfully. "Well, nationalists think themselves to be above the Choshu for whatever it's worth. I mean, the Imperialist National party is…Well, just listen to the bullshit he was going on about the other day. It seems as though he has rubbed off on Kondou, which is a bad influence in my opinion."

Souji sighed. "Well, Kondou is a nice person. He tries to see the good in people. Which is why he is easily swayed by silver tongues, by those who appear virtuous…but are real scumbags."

Sano tightened his grip on his spear. "So, Itou is our Deputy Commander, and his little brother is the captain of the ninth division, huh? That's gonna be a real bitch to deal with."

"Hey, Hijikata. Can't you come up with some bullshit excuse to kick those two bastards out? Ever since they arrived, it's been all bad vibes and sour moods."

"You know damn well I can't do that, Souji. I mean, look at the way Kondou fawns over Itou. It's…"

"Sickening."

Toshizo snorted. "Well, that's one way to put it. Besides, he brought a large force of men with him when he joined. You think they won't riot if he were to just…disappear?"

"Aren't you like, the Commander from hell? Make something happen."

"Here's a better idea. Why don't we make you Commander in my stead, Souji? You can do as you please with Itou then."

"Hell no! Too much trouble."

Noticing a silent Sannan standing aside, Sakura left the others captain to converse among themselves and headed towards him. "Keisuke-san? Are you alright?"

"Don't concern yourself with me, Sakura-san. I'm fine." He offered her a kind smile and she could tell immediately that it was fake.

"Forgive me for being blunt, but please don't lie to me. I can tell." She smiled at him gently. "I'm almost certain that Itou was simply being a bastard, but even if there are such nonsense rumors going around, you and I both know them to be false." She took his hand in hers and squeezed it comfortingly. "After all, Hijikata was right. Even if your injury had been serious, your worth to the Shinsengumi and as an individual wouldn't have diminished one bit. Why, I believe you are one of the smartest people I've ever met. Your sword skills are just an added bonus."

Obviously surprised, Keisuke looked down at their joined hands and then back up at her. His eyes softened. "Thank you, Sakura-san."

"Please, call me Sakura."

"Only if you call me Keisuke."

She grinned widely. "It's a deal."

"Ne, Harada, if you're not careful, Sannan will snatch Pinky away from you."

"Souji-kun, you're dead."

TBC

HEYA!

Guess who fell off her horse, sprained her ankle, and now has to stay in bed to rest! If you said "you?" then you are very right! Congrats!

However, that means I have more time to write so yaaay!

Sorry for all the politics in this chapter. I wanted to show that since the world of Hakuouki and Naruto coexist in the same universe in this story, they are connected and not completely isolated from each other. It'd make sense for two great powers like the Hidden Villages and the government of Edo to have diplomatic relations. I wanted to make that seem more realistic and establish it a bit better. I hope it worked that way!

Soooo, Kazama gave Sakura an ultimatum using his sexiest voice possible and left her there to think about it.

Also, Souji ships SanoXSaku! XD

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Expect a new update very soon!

If you have a minute to spare, drop me a review! Reading your thoughts always makes my day.

Until next time,

Lots of love!