A/N: Happy first birthday, Winged Hope! Yes, it has been a year since I first started this story and I am so happy with my accomplishments! Thank you all for your patience and support through the first year of Winged Hope, and I hope you continue to support my stories! Thanks to nafeesa321 for her review! Enjoy!
Throughout their entire journey, Saitou and Mizuki ignored each other, remembering what had happened earlier that day. Every time they got with in 6 inches of each other they would instantly move away from each other, causing the soldiers to become confused as to why it was happening. They finally reached their destination.
"We are the Shinsengumi. We have come to help defend Kyoto on the orders of the Aizu clan.", Kondou said.
"Orders?" The head of the compound scoffed, "We have not received such information. Leave."
"But we have a written letter.", Kondou protested adamantly.
"I don't care, even with a written letter our answer remains the same. We have no need for the Wolves of Mibu here."
"Fine, move out!"
The Shinsengumi marched away, the sun beating down on them as the went to another compound.
"How horrible!", Chizuru gasped in a hushed voice.
"Don't worry, it happens all the time. We're used to this treatment.", Sano said to her.
After many excruciating hours under the sun it, was finally dusk, the Shinsengumi setting up camp by the riverside just outside of Kyoto to the join the other back-up groups in the last rays of light.
"Hey, Chizuru if your tired, you can sleep on my lap.", Sano said.
"N-No, I'll be fine.", Chizuru stammered blushing lightly, scurrying over to where the girls were.
Mizuki and her guards set up camp just a couple meters from where the Shinsengumi were camped. They were on high alert for Seiji as he could appear at any time.
"Mizuki, about earlier...", Saitou walked up to Mizuki as she gazed out in the distance towards Kyoto.
"What?", Mizuki was facing away from him.
"About earlier, I'msorrythatIembaressedyou,butIreallylikeyouandIhopeyoufeelthesamewayaboutme.", Saitou said hurriedly, his face was tomato red by the time he finished speaking.
Mizuki's hand covered her mouth, as her shoulders shook, tears threatening to escape.
"Mizuki are you okay?", he put his hand on her shoulder, looking very concerned and confused.
.
.
.
.
"Bwahahahahaha!"
'She was laughing?', Saitou felt quite hurt.
"Sorry, sorry! It's just that you don't normally act this way.", Mizuki giggled.
"O-Oh...", Saitou felt quite embarrassed.
"Mizuki-sama!", called Kira waving her hand to go over to where the girls were seated.
"Okay!", Mizuki headed to where they were, stopping for a moment to look back at Saitou.
"Oh, and for the record, I like you too, Saito.", Mizuki winked flirtatiously at him with a smile, before setting off towards the other girls once more.
Saitou was speechless, and watched her walk walk away with a dazed, lovestruck expression on his face.
"Nee~ Saitou.", Souji as he nudged said person with his elbow and brought him back to reality. "You have quite the hots for her don't you~"
Saitou scowled, shouting, "Shut up!".
- Over to the girls -
The girls had been talking about boys for a while now and they had finally reached the dreaded question.
"Hey, Mizuki. You love Saitou don't you?", Sakura asked as the other girls leaned in, because this was going to be good.
"Shut up!"
"But we know you do! Just as much as Chizuru loves Hijikata of course!", a few of the girls were snickering now as Chizuru panicked.
"W- What?! Please don't drag me into this too!", cried Chizuru.
All the girls laughed.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, Tsubasa was listening in on their conversation, a look of jealousy written on his face. He too loved Mizuki, but unfortunately as her guard, he was forbidden from expressing his feelings to her. All he could do now was to judge Saitou on whether he was good enough for Mizuki.
*Sneeze*
"Are you okay Saitou?", Inoue asked.
"Ah, yeah.", Saitou's gaze went towards the group of girls.
"Ah-choo!"
"Are you okay Hijikata?", Kondou asked his friend.
'What are the girls talking about?', Saitou wondered.
*boom*
Everyone woke up startled.
"Let's go!", the Shinsengumi rushed towards Kyoto.
"Wait! We have to wait for orders!", the leader of the Aizu reinforcements shouted, Hijikata looked back at them.
"Screw orders! If you have pride in what you do, then you would ignore orders and just go!", the Shinsengumi went on.
"Follow them!", the leader rushed after them.
At the scene of where the Choushuu hit first, the Aizu and the Shinsengumi were cleaning up the site.
"Earlier this morning, the Choushuu that headed towards Hamaguri gate had retreated rather than face the Aizu and Satsuma force.", Saitou had talked to some of the Aizu soldiers.
"So the Satsuma are helping the Aizu?", Hijikata looked amused.
"Hijikata, it seems that some of the Choushuu guys are still at the 5th gate.", Sano reported.
"What?", Hijikata looked confused.
"Commander, the rebels who are assisted with the attack on the Imperal Palace are headed towards Mount Tenno.", Yamazaki appeared with yet another piece of news.
"What do we do, Toshi?", Kondou asked.
Hijikata smiled, "Harada lead some troops to 5th gate to pursuit the Choushuu remnants. Saitou and Yamazaki, handle the reconnaissance, provide defence at Hamaguri gate as planned. And Commander, I have a great job for you, there are remnants of a defeated army headed for Mount Tenno. They might destroy a city to take revenge, so we will have to leave the city to take care of them. You are the only one who can get permission to do that. Gen will go with him to keep him from going on a rampage."
Everyone agreed and separated, leaving in separate directions. While Hijikata was talking Mizuki gave glances directed to Tsubasa, Sakura, Ren, Rin, Kazumi and Ryo, they were to go with Saito, Yamazaki, Harada, Kondou and Inoue
- Saitou, Yamazaki, Tsubasa and Sakura -
"As the Shinsengumi we have to greet the Aizu's commander.", Saitou said.
"I'll do that. The upper ranks are in to much turmoil to appreciate our help.", Yamazaki suggested.
"Okay, then.", Saitou, Tsubasa and the troop ran towards Hamaguri gate, leaving Yamazaki and Sakura.
- Hamaguri gate -
The Saitou, Tsubasa and his troops arrived at their location mood was tense as the two clans fought over the gate.
"Leave! We the Aizu clan will defend the gate!"
"Are you retarded? The Satsuma will defend it!"
"What?"
"So the two parties are fighting for merits. How stupid.", Saitou said, the Satsuma leader noticed them.
"So you asked for the Shinsengumi. That shows that you Aizu are a bunch of cowards. You can't fight without the help of ronin?", he laughed causing some of the Shinsengumi troops to get angry.
"Don't pay attention to them, just focus on carrying out you task.", Saitou calmed then down.
"Are you insulting the Aizu?", the Aizu leader drew his blade, when a red headed man appeared.
Tsubasa narrowed his eyes, 'So it's him, what is he doing here?'.
"You're taking us on, you bastard!", the leader charged at him.
Saitou stopped him, "Stop. The difference in your skill is too great."
Saitou and the red headed man glared at each other.
"I apologize for hurting your friend. My name is Amagiri Kyuuju.", he turned around left, the Satsuma troops left as well.
- Sano ,Ren and Rin -
A canon was fired at the Choushuu killing some of them, however there were too many Choushuu guys. Just as one of them got too close, a spear hit the guy in the chest causing the rest of Choushuu to stop in their place.
"It's the Shinsengumi...", one of the Choushuu gulped. (A/N: No shit Sherlock! What other group has a spear wielding man?)
"You guys will have to go through me to break into the Imperial Palace!", Sano did two spear twirls before pointing it at them causing them to retreat.
"Go!", the Aizu leader yelled, and Aizu soldiers ran after the Choushuu.
*Bang*
A bullet was shot at the Aizu soldiers killing one of them.
"What's this? All of you lost your guts after one shot? You should be honored that I'm playing with you.", a blue haired man stood between the Aizu and Choushuu.
"I'll pass, you're a coward to be using firearms.", Sano walked to the front of the Aizu soldiers, pointing his spear at the mysterious man.
A fight ensued but was cut short.
"My name is Shiranui Kyo. State your name.", he demanded.
"I'm the captain of the Shinsengumi's tenth squad, Harada Sanosuke."
"Remember my face for the next time we meet you will die.", with that Shiranui escaped over the wall.
- Hijikata, Shinpachi, Mizuki, Chizuru, Tsubaki, Kaname and Ichijo -
Hijikata, Shinpachi, Mizuki, Chizuru, Tsubaki, Kaname, Ichijo and some troops arrived at a bridge where a blond haired man was leaning against the railing of the bridge. Suddenly the blond haired man stood and faced them, it seemed that he intended to block them.
'It's Kazama!', Mizuki recognized him from the Ikeda inn incident.
One of the Shinsengumi's soldiers charged at Kazama but Kazama disarmed him and made a cut on his arm.
"Are you okay?", Shinpachi and Chizuru rushed to the guys side and tended to his wounds.
"He is from the Ikeda incident, he injured Souji.", Mizuki whispered to Hijikata.
"Oh?", Hijikata was amused.
"Oh, you're the Shinsengumi. Here to gain merits again? You countryside samurai really lack skill, but then again you aren't even samurai.", Kazama insulted.
"Did you show you great skill at Ikeda? Your insults are rather dull.", Hijikata said.
"I have heard about some skilled ronin, but the rumours were false. Okita was quite an incompetent swordsman.", Kazama smirked.
"Why you!", Shinpachi stood up, the others also drew their katanas.
"Stop! Have you forgotten your mission?", Hijikata said, Shinpachi smiled.
"Then I take charge of the unit for now. Let's go!"
"Okay!", Shinpachi and the soldiers headed on for Mount Tenno, leaving behind Hijikata, Chizuru, Mizuki, Tsubaki, Kaname,Ichijo and the unconsious wounded guy.
"Oops...", Hijikata swung his blade at Kazama when he wasn't looking.
"Pay attention! This is a serious fight... Unless you want to die easily.", Kazama scoffed.
"You're really good with words, however you aren't skilled enough to kill me. Yukimiura-hime and her guards might be able to kill me, and also her brother if he had his powers, but you possibly can't."
"So Seiji visited you, huh? Did you accept his proposal?", Mizuki asked.
"Yes, and no, I don't care about your family feud... Unless you or your cousin there married me.", Mizuki and her guards drew their weapons.
"That won't be happening.", Mizuki, Tsubaki, Kaname and Ichijo went over to Chizuru's side as the battle between Hijikata and Kazama started.
At one point in the battle Kazama was disarmed, but the katana headed towards Chizuru. Chizuru covered the wounded man with herself, but at the last moment Mizuki unfurled her wings protecting them, the katana to cut into her left wing.
'Interesting.', Kazama thought as he looked at Mizuki's blood stained wing.
Mizuki pulled out the katana just as Amagiri appeared and gave it to him.
"Kazama. We work for Satsuma, so we have no reason to fight with the Shinsengumi.", the two men shortly left.
"Are you okay?", Hijikata, Chizuru, Tsubaki, Kaname and Ichijo asked Mizuki.
"Yeah, my wound healed already.", Mizuki retracted her wings after washing away the blood.
The group of seven went after Shinpachi's group and by sunset they ran into Shinpachi's group.
"We were too late, they had already committed senpuku.", Shinpachi said.
"Oh.", Hijikata looked disappointed.
"Look! Kyoto is burning up!", one of the soldiers said.
Everyone immediately headed back to Kyoto.
- Shinsengumi Headquarters -
Everyone arrived back safely, but a secret emergency meeting was put in place.
"What is it, Sannan?", Hijikata asked.
"Aria is gone!"
A/N: Hey guys! I actually can't believe that I wrote 2,000+ words for this chapter! Thanks for all of your support, and have a Happy Chinese New Year! Btw, my sister helped with the confession and the girl's talk.