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Character Profile
Jun. 4th, 2012 04:22 pmauguries of innocence
TO see a world in a grain of sand
and a heaven in a wild flower,
hold infinity in the palm of your hand
and eternity in an hour.
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citadel_logs || citadel_net || citadel_ooc Name: Saitou, Hajime (Hajime Saitou)
Canon: Hakuouki Shinsengumi Kitan [GAME UNIVERSE]
Canon point: Chapter 4; right after making it to Osaka Castle.
Age: 24.
Appearance
a red-breasted robin in a cage
puts all heaven in a rage
Precision and control are hallmarks of Iai; his blade can stop a breath off the throat or cleanly sever the spinal column with incremental difference in force.
The physical manifestation of Ochimizu turns the user's hair silvery-white and their eyes blood red, as well as imbuing them with slightly pronounced fangs.
Stealth/Reconnaissance, Saitou's quiet is especially beneficial for orders requiring a more slippery touch. He spent six months spent shadowing Itou to feign allegiance and honed this skill to deceive even those who know him well. Simply put, it requires awareness on a supernatural level to find him when he wants to disappear.
Perception, Something of a subset of his abilities in stealth, Saitou is similarly very hard to follow or surprise even for the professional.
Psychometry, through in-game developments, Saitou has gained the ability to divine the past and future of any object he touches. As of yet, he has no control over its depth or activation.
Items
Bruising blows were ignored on either side of the battle as excitement and compliments were traded between each merciless advance.
For this Aizu Clan, for this Shinsengumi, he could follow any order to his grave.
Aburano Koji Incident and the Meiji Restoration
His body broken, Saitou kept fighting even when his arms could not handle the weight of his katana.
Then, as Saitou lay dying in the dirt, Kazama tossed him a red vial. Ochimizu. Without it, he stood no chance of defending Chizuru or the rest of his men. He probably would not survive the wounds of this battle alone.
His mind settled, he drank his poison and resumed the fight. The transformation into rasetsu was not enough to level the playing field, but it significantly closed the gap and kept him moving. Had Amagiri not come to retrieve Kazama, it's questionable if Saitou would've stopped before one of them died.
Taking no time for rest, Saitou waited a few moments after the demons disappeared from view and headed for Osaka Castle.
puts all heaven in a rage
Height: 168 cm / 5.55 ft.
Personality
Personality
every wolf and lion's howl
raises from hell a human soul.
raises from hell a human soul.
At a careless glance, Saitou is little more than a shadow chasing after the light. He often enters and leaves a room without drawing attention to himself, sustained by fluidity that runs quietly deep. Those who have not earned some semblance of his loyalty are faced with unflinching stoicism and frozen formality, but it would be poor understanding to write this young man off as cold or even indifferent. Once past his steely layers of observation and taciturn deference, he is a highly empathetic, perceptive, and sentimental person.
The quickest way to understand Saitou’s approach to the world is to examine the tenets by which his life is based around. The five prohibitions of the Shinsengumi (Kyokuchi Hatto) are as follows:
The quickest way to understand Saitou’s approach to the world is to examine the tenets by which his life is based around. The five prohibitions of the Shinsengumi (Kyokuchi Hatto) are as follows:
- Deviation from the Bushido.
- Leaving the Shinsengumi.
- Acquiring funds privately.
- Taking part in litigation.
- Engaging in private fights.
The punishment for failing these regulations is forced ritualistic suicide regardless of rhyme or reason. This strict standard not only guides Saitou’s expectations of himself, but of all other members of the Shinsengumi as well.
When Yamazaki Susumi and Ibuki Ryunosuke began to quarrel, he reminded his comrades of the rules with a well-placed blade and cold intent.
Out of those five decrees, the first (to adhere to Bushido) can be broken down into its seven constituent virtues:
- Rectitude (義)
- Growing in a time of government instability and mounting violence, righteousness has never been a clean decision for him. Rather, his piety manifests in the utmost devotion to carry out his orders as a tool of the Shinsengumi. That is not to say that he never questions a directive nor that he lacks his own opinions, but that his personal feelings are rarely, if ever, factored into his actions. Further, he believes that there is more to following a command than simply obedience. In order to fully serve, one must both understand the context in which the order was given and the superior's natural fallibility.
- Courage (勇氣)
- Those who enter a battle of their own will are obligated to see its completion unless explicitly told to retreat. Even if there is great fear and certain death, he will fight to the last drop in his veins with steadfast purpose. Neither honor nor obligation drives cowardice asunder in the heat of the battle for Saitou. Instead, he relies on the strength of his emotional attachments to tether anxiety, suspending his self-preservation instincts by overwhelming them with the desire to protect the people important to him.
- Benevolence (仁)
- A man of few words and scarcely given to unnecessary sentiment, Saitou's kindness comes through in his actions, both subtle and overt. On the surface level, he can act as a den-mother to the Shinsengumi (with a particular emphasis on the Vice-Commander) in his own politely insistent way. More than that, his softness comes out in the way he brings tea at midnight and tells a friend to look at the moon instead of work for a while, or the white lies he might construct to alleviate another of burden.
- Respect (禮)
- Seldom as he has received respect in his life before the Shinsengumi, he still extends the utmost courtesy to those around him. Especially during a heated confrontation, one can expect Saitou to maintain an air of politeness and graciousness towards enemy and friend. In the unlikely instance he cannot justify respecting a person, he will continue to regard them with cold civility to the best of his abilities. This is not passivity; more simply, it's stubborn reverie for the other individuals present and his own dignity.
- Honesty (誠)
- Honesty to those he serves and to those he serves with are entirely different matters. To his masters, he must be plausibly convinced it is in their best interest to be anything less than perfectly candid. Conversely, he will tell lies or allow them to perpetuate at the expense of his own reputation if it means protecting those same superiors. When he does need to be false to someone of relevance, a life spent speaking truthfully hinders his efforts greatly. He can become noticeably distracted and falter over words such that his default position for these scenarios is to be silent and very, very still. If a man could be such a bad liar as to be always honest to his friends, Saitou would be the textbook example.
- Honor (名誉)
- Similar to his disposition about candor, honor is preserved through his results for the Shinsengumi rather than the actions that bring them. Saitou is still very rigid about his own convictions, but little argument is truly required in the face of necessity. For instance, when Hijikata ordered the patrols to attack lone targets in multiples, he showed immediate reservation. But still quickly enough, he acquiesced with mostly unspoken understanding. To be a weapon of the Shinsengumi, he accepted the destruction of his idealism from the start.
- Loyalty (忠義)
- It is not necessary for others to understand Saitou's loyalty. Mockery of its integrity will get no rise, no matter how cruel or exceptional the circumstance. For the incredible gift of existence, he lives and dies for the sake of the Shinsengumi and Aizu clan. Perhaps more importantly, he kills for these sacred things, even if the red on his katana must belong to a friend. His devotion could be misconstrued as blind, but he refutes such claims to innocence. Every action, no matter how selfless the intent or socially obligatory, is a direct result of his conscious choice alone.
As much as Saitou would desire to be defined purely by the traits of a warrior, he is not without idiosyncrasy. In fact, very much of his inner personality is a contradiction to the outer appearance, coupling merciless killing with a profoundly deep care for those around him.
If his conviction to the organization can be likened to the adoration of a child, his devotion to its persons would be the realistic understanding of an adult. Those he has chosen to follow, no matter how great, are inherently flawed. To best oblige them, he is always cognizant of their faults - and at times, forces the person to reckon with them.
As an individual and not the Shinsengumi captain, Saitou is a textbook introvert. His locked-away world is rich, filled with subtle shades of meaning and a deep appreciation for beauty. He places great value on symbolism and sentiment, staking his life on the ideas of the Shinsengumi on a daily basis. The samurai tenets are upheld as being fundamental truths, greater than the breadth of men and their petty spirits.
In interpersonal relationships, he operates on a keen sense of intuition and would be naturally well-equipped to meet the emotional needs of others were he not so painfully shy. Indeed, his empathy and nurturing inclinations are overshadowed only by his want to avoid them. By his own admission, his mastery over words is shoddy and cumbersome. Faced with the prospect of expressing himself or field training recruits for three days solid, he's very likely to choose the latter.
His life's dedication to the battlefield has resulted in relatively stunted social know-how outside of war and he usually depends on templates of formality and politeness. When spontaneity inevitably requires him to deviate from his comfort zone, he embarrasses easily and obviously. This is especially true with subjects of a romantic nature, the mere mention of which is capable of leaving the ruthless samurai blushing and stammering his way into a quick escape.
If his conviction to the organization can be likened to the adoration of a child, his devotion to its persons would be the realistic understanding of an adult. Those he has chosen to follow, no matter how great, are inherently flawed. To best oblige them, he is always cognizant of their faults - and at times, forces the person to reckon with them.
As an individual and not the Shinsengumi captain, Saitou is a textbook introvert. His locked-away world is rich, filled with subtle shades of meaning and a deep appreciation for beauty. He places great value on symbolism and sentiment, staking his life on the ideas of the Shinsengumi on a daily basis. The samurai tenets are upheld as being fundamental truths, greater than the breadth of men and their petty spirits.
In interpersonal relationships, he operates on a keen sense of intuition and would be naturally well-equipped to meet the emotional needs of others were he not so painfully shy. Indeed, his empathy and nurturing inclinations are overshadowed only by his want to avoid them. By his own admission, his mastery over words is shoddy and cumbersome. Faced with the prospect of expressing himself or field training recruits for three days solid, he's very likely to choose the latter.
His life's dedication to the battlefield has resulted in relatively stunted social know-how outside of war and he usually depends on templates of formality and politeness. When spontaneity inevitably requires him to deviate from his comfort zone, he embarrasses easily and obviously. This is especially true with subjects of a romantic nature, the mere mention of which is capable of leaving the ruthless samurai blushing and stammering his way into a quick escape.
Skills and Powers
Master Iai: South Paw
He is a master of Iaijutsu, the sword-based martial art centered around fluid movements that combine unsheathing and striking in a single motion. Previous to taking Ochimizu, Saitou is shown to be on par with even very strong preternatural beings. His skill was extraordinary enough to have elicited this high praise from the demon Amagiri,
"But you, Saito, are a human opponent I can respect. You deserve, nay, demand that I fight you with everything at my disposal."
Iai emphasizes the initial strike, but its most important aspect is to puncture. In the infrequent event he fails to end the fight with his first move, the second maneuver simply becomes an improvised extension to form lethal choreography. This style is described by observers as being highly aesthetic, though its questionable if those on the receiving end share such an opinion.
"But you, Saito, are a human opponent I can respect. You deserve, nay, demand that I fight you with everything at my disposal."
Iai emphasizes the initial strike, but its most important aspect is to puncture. In the infrequent event he fails to end the fight with his first move, the second maneuver simply becomes an improvised extension to form lethal choreography. This style is described by observers as being highly aesthetic, though its questionable if those on the receiving end share such an opinion.
Precision and control are hallmarks of Iai; his blade can stop a breath off the throat or cleanly sever the spinal column with incremental difference in force.
[ Author's note: It seems to be a popular belief that Saitou was a master of iaido, but the art known as iaido would not be formally created until 1873. Iaijutsu, its immediate precusor, predates the Tokugawa shogunate. ]
Rasetsu: False Demon
Perhaps most easily related to the typical vampire, a rasetsu is the name for those who have consumed Ochimizu, a "potion" that acts as a disease once a person has undergone its effects. The rasetsu have significantly elevated performance in the battlefield (increase in healing, speed, strength, etc) at the price of their humanity. More accurately, the lifespan is shortened with each use of the granted abilities and the user develops a consistent bloodlust. Self-control and discipline can to some greater extent control the thirst, but the threat of succumbing to a mindless monster is still very real when exposed to fresh blood.
Additionally, Ochimizu renders the body weak to silver and sunlight in indirect capacities. The rasetsu can function in daylight, but will experience persistent drowsiness and weakness that increases until the individual collapses or accedes to hunger. Silver, if used with weaponry, can prevent the inhuman healing rate of any wound it creates.
Additionally, Ochimizu renders the body weak to silver and sunlight in indirect capacities. The rasetsu can function in daylight, but will experience persistent drowsiness and weakness that increases until the individual collapses or accedes to hunger. Silver, if used with weaponry, can prevent the inhuman healing rate of any wound it creates.
The physical manifestation of Ochimizu turns the user's hair silvery-white and their eyes blood red, as well as imbuing them with slightly pronounced fangs.
Other
Stealth/Reconnaissance, Saitou's quiet is especially beneficial for orders requiring a more slippery touch. He spent six months spent shadowing Itou to feign allegiance and honed this skill to deceive even those who know him well. Simply put, it requires awareness on a supernatural level to find him when he wants to disappear.
Perception, Something of a subset of his abilities in stealth, Saitou is similarly very hard to follow or surprise even for the professional.
Psychometry, through in-game developments, Saitou has gained the ability to divine the past and future of any object he touches. As of yet, he has no control over its depth or activation.
Items
- Mirror:
- Shinsengumi Uniform: His most valuable possession, his haori is nearly shred with katana damage and caked with dried blood.
- Weapons: Katana, wakizashi.
a starv'd dog at his master's gate
predicts the ruin of the state
predicts the ruin of the state
Birthright
"It must be fortunate to be aware of one's own gift and develop it. When did you find out about yours?"
"That's...that must be when I have nothing left but this sword. This is all I have, simple as that."
"That's...that must be when I have nothing left but this sword. This is all I have, simple as that."
While many leading men are born in a storm, Saitou was born in its preliminary silence. The Tokugawa shogun had been in power for over two centuries and spent a large majority of its rule isolating Japan from the rest of the world. The fear of foreign influence on the nation’s pure soul ripened in early Edo era (1603-1868), leading to a series of highly-restrictive trade laws known as sakoku (“locking the country”). Under sakoku, the gallows filled with the bodies of any foreigner who dared to enter Japan’s borders or citizen that tried to escape them.
In 1853, that all changed.
The Americans, a young commonwealth from the West, arrived on the island country’s shores with a demand for trade and an envoy of warships to back their commitment. The nuances of the West’s threat aside, the shogun was forced to reckon with the overwhelming military superiority and concede. Shortly after, several other European powers secured trade agreements and ushered in the end of an age.
Whether or not Saitou, nine at the time, was cognizant of these events is never explicitly stated. Indeed, very little mention has been made of his life previous to the Shinsengumi. What information is available is that he was born into a gokenin clan, the lowest ranking vassals serving directly beneath the Tokugawa shogun, by way of purchase. Japan operated on a rigid caste system at the time, but his family was able to buy favor and upgrade from disputable warrior status to firmly samurai by the time he came to the world.
As such, Saitou was trained from a fragile age to fit the mold of the samurai. He was to kill; to yield to a lord as an honorable extension of Their will, forever faithful. Perhaps because he was never given another option, the lifestyle was embraced wholly and he reached a master's level in iaijutsu by the age of eighteen.
The sword mastery was double-edged in reception. As a result of left-handedness so often being corrected, Saitou found very few individuals who could defend against a southpaw's attack.
But it was also a reason for persecution.
He rarely, if at all, received recognition for his talents. When challenging martial arts schools in Edo, every match he won was squabbled down to accusations of cheating and disqualification. Saitou continued the pursuit regardless, not requiring the acknowledgment of any but his clan and their respective daimyo. He was never so petty as to be dissatisfied with the truth alone.
In 1853, that all changed.
The Americans, a young commonwealth from the West, arrived on the island country’s shores with a demand for trade and an envoy of warships to back their commitment. The nuances of the West’s threat aside, the shogun was forced to reckon with the overwhelming military superiority and concede. Shortly after, several other European powers secured trade agreements and ushered in the end of an age.
Whether or not Saitou, nine at the time, was cognizant of these events is never explicitly stated. Indeed, very little mention has been made of his life previous to the Shinsengumi. What information is available is that he was born into a gokenin clan, the lowest ranking vassals serving directly beneath the Tokugawa shogun, by way of purchase. Japan operated on a rigid caste system at the time, but his family was able to buy favor and upgrade from disputable warrior status to firmly samurai by the time he came to the world.
As such, Saitou was trained from a fragile age to fit the mold of the samurai. He was to kill; to yield to a lord as an honorable extension of Their will, forever faithful. Perhaps because he was never given another option, the lifestyle was embraced wholly and he reached a master's level in iaijutsu by the age of eighteen.
The sword mastery was double-edged in reception. As a result of left-handedness so often being corrected, Saitou found very few individuals who could defend against a southpaw's attack.
But it was also a reason for persecution.
He rarely, if at all, received recognition for his talents. When challenging martial arts schools in Edo, every match he won was squabbled down to accusations of cheating and disqualification. Saitou continued the pursuit regardless, not requiring the acknowledgment of any but his clan and their respective daimyo. He was never so petty as to be dissatisfied with the truth alone.
Shieikan Dojo / Leaving Edo
In the sweltering heat of 1862, a quiet voice interrupted the lively banter in the Shieikan training hall. Saitou, in the manner already common to the teenager, had arrived at the dojo without drawing the attention of the residing combatants. Here, he approached his future comrades with a politely thrown gauntlet.
Shieikan’s tenants specialized in Tennen Rishin-ryu, a style that was applied in active combat and used armaments as heavy as real swords in training. The norm for a contest was bamboo or other light material, so traditionally the dojo would request a nearby school to act on their behalf for challenges.
A foul temper deviated that precedence. Souji Okita interrupted to address the stranger, lauding hostile invitations for a match with Shieikan’s weapon of choice. Saitou retained his usual stoicism, equally as accustomed to sparring with wooden weapons as he was their loudmouth counterparts and accepted the conditions.
When the talking had finished, they met as warriors. Formal rules were quickly ignored, the full moment seized for how preciously rare it was. Saitou had met an equal, a challenge, and uncertain he ever might find another chance, he fought without abandon.
Shieikan’s tenants specialized in Tennen Rishin-ryu, a style that was applied in active combat and used armaments as heavy as real swords in training. The norm for a contest was bamboo or other light material, so traditionally the dojo would request a nearby school to act on their behalf for challenges.
A foul temper deviated that precedence. Souji Okita interrupted to address the stranger, lauding hostile invitations for a match with Shieikan’s weapon of choice. Saitou retained his usual stoicism, equally as accustomed to sparring with wooden weapons as he was their loudmouth counterparts and accepted the conditions.
When the talking had finished, they met as warriors. Formal rules were quickly ignored, the full moment seized for how preciously rare it was. Saitou had met an equal, a challenge, and uncertain he ever might find another chance, he fought without abandon.
Bruising blows were ignored on either side of the battle as excitement and compliments were traded between each merciless advance.
Nagakura Shinpachi uselessly tried to intervene, completely ignored by both sides. Hijikata Toshizo’s order finally suppressed the skirmish and pulled the two apart for much needed reprieve. Saitou, panting, spent a moment to savor the end of a good thing and readied himself for the disparaging remarks.
Kondou Isami’s voice was anything but that. Stunned, Saitou’s eternal composure wavered for a glimpse of raw honesty. Kondou just ignored his left-handedness, seemingly unaware of the social stigma attached even when the offender softly pointed it out. After Hijikata echoed his master's sentiments, the first ties of an earnest loyalty began to thread.
From then on, Saitou made regular visits to Shieikan for training and shared meals. He did his best to leave no impression on the dojo’s existence, paying every coin he might cost and keeping as a shadow to those around. He had no mind to press this delicate treasure he had found; he would not interrupt its natural state.
No matter how content he had been with knowing his skill, the acknowledgment – and perhaps, acceptance – within such an exceptional group of warriors forever changed him.
Unfortunately, Saitou's naiveté proved problematic a few months later. He engaged the son of a hatamoto-ranked clan (a social class above the gokenin) in what he thought an honorable duel and won by survival. Instead, he was accused of murder and forced to leave Edo. Without a clan to serve, he ceased to be a samurai and laid his swords down.
Kondou Isami’s voice was anything but that. Stunned, Saitou’s eternal composure wavered for a glimpse of raw honesty. Kondou just ignored his left-handedness, seemingly unaware of the social stigma attached even when the offender softly pointed it out. After Hijikata echoed his master's sentiments, the first ties of an earnest loyalty began to thread.
From then on, Saitou made regular visits to Shieikan for training and shared meals. He did his best to leave no impression on the dojo’s existence, paying every coin he might cost and keeping as a shadow to those around. He had no mind to press this delicate treasure he had found; he would not interrupt its natural state.
No matter how content he had been with knowing his skill, the acknowledgment – and perhaps, acceptance – within such an exceptional group of warriors forever changed him.
Unfortunately, Saitou's naiveté proved problematic a few months later. He engaged the son of a hatamoto-ranked clan (a social class above the gokenin) in what he thought an honorable duel and won by survival. Instead, he was accused of murder and forced to leave Edo. Without a clan to serve, he ceased to be a samurai and laid his swords down.
Joining the Roshigumi
Japan’s deteriorating political structure built into a cresting tsunami that darkened the country’s skies with ominous warnings for the future. All too soon, the shores of a falling regime would lather with the blood of civil war.
Kyoto had begun to feel that shadow as spring of 1863 approached. Support for the shogun had steadily festered the more foreign powers breached Japan’s culture and a decade later, it was finally busting through the skin.
As one power declined, another brightened. The emperor, who was believed to be the son of Heaven itself but only nominally a leader at this point of time, gained momentum among the people. Possibly to appease the mounting hostilities, the reigning shogun Iemochi broke tradition and planned a visit to the imperial home in Kyoto.
Previously, the Tokugawa shogunate had made public spectacles of the royal court's submission by acting as the hosts of each conference. Iemochi's decision shattered a practice well over a century in the making, spurring a flurry of unprecedented action in its wake.
In order to protect the shogun in the increasingly dangerous Kyoto, groups of highly skilled ronin from Edo were recruited to act as Iemochi's guard. They became known as the Roshigumi (“Defenders of Kyoto”) and included among their prominent ranks the Shieikan dojo’s residents.
When word of this reached Saitou’s ear, it was only a matter of time.
He describes himself as having been “nonexistent” in the transition from leaving Edo to joining the Roshigumi. He trained students at a family friend's dojo in Kyoto for a while, his steps feeling hollow by the lack of blades to weight them. It was the small pieces of life threw him the most, from the emptiness on his hip to the sudden convenience of unarmed travel.
For a long time after arriving to the Roshigumi’s doorstep in the fringe town of Mibu, he waited in silence.
Kyoto had begun to feel that shadow as spring of 1863 approached. Support for the shogun had steadily festered the more foreign powers breached Japan’s culture and a decade later, it was finally busting through the skin.
As one power declined, another brightened. The emperor, who was believed to be the son of Heaven itself but only nominally a leader at this point of time, gained momentum among the people. Possibly to appease the mounting hostilities, the reigning shogun Iemochi broke tradition and planned a visit to the imperial home in Kyoto.
Previously, the Tokugawa shogunate had made public spectacles of the royal court's submission by acting as the hosts of each conference. Iemochi's decision shattered a practice well over a century in the making, spurring a flurry of unprecedented action in its wake.
In order to protect the shogun in the increasingly dangerous Kyoto, groups of highly skilled ronin from Edo were recruited to act as Iemochi's guard. They became known as the Roshigumi (“Defenders of Kyoto”) and included among their prominent ranks the Shieikan dojo’s residents.
When word of this reached Saitou’s ear, it was only a matter of time.
He describes himself as having been “nonexistent” in the transition from leaving Edo to joining the Roshigumi. He trained students at a family friend's dojo in Kyoto for a while, his steps feeling hollow by the lack of blades to weight them. It was the small pieces of life threw him the most, from the emptiness on his hip to the sudden convenience of unarmed travel.
For a long time after arriving to the Roshigumi’s doorstep in the fringe town of Mibu, he waited in silence.
When later asked why he had taken so long to enter, Saitou touched the hilt on his hip and replied, " ... To make a resolution. Resolution to use this sword again."
Roshigumi to Shinsengumi
By the time the discredited iaidoka arrived, the Roshigumi he found was a fraction of its original mass. Only a handful of members remained for reasons he never asked about and never would. The reunion itself was warm and welcoming, and shortly thereafter Saitou fell into their ranks with ease.
The public was less inclined towards the same ingratiating attitude. The Roshigumi frequently met difficulty on patrol, lacking authority and recognition to sway the hearts of citizens disgruntled with the shogun. Outlaws were hidden and defended in the same hissing breaths of insults - and not all of these actions were so unjust.
Serizawa Kamo, the acting commander, was instrumental in establishing the Roshigumi's political relations with the Aizu Domain and being granted any legal status. Although Kondou was of technically the same rank, the man so often deferred to the other that Serizawa singularly maintained dominance. Serizawa, albeit sharp and politically convenient, had a nasty temper that continuously impeded the organization’s progress.
Inadequate leadership was not their only obstacle. While they had secured the graces of the Aizu with a martial arts demonstration, the Roshigumi’s work would go unpaid until they made a greater name for themselves. This left the Kondou faction’s finances strained at best and deepened their reliance on Serizawa.
Worse still, Kyoto’s size far exceeded their meager numbers and rendered patrols ineffective without the cooperation of the citizens. For a stretch, every element seemed to work in tandem with one another to create a vicious cycle of defeat.
But Saitou's desire to be there never once waned and soon enough, their issues began to resolve.
For their thinned ranks, they received a unique solution. Kodo Yukimura, a doctor trained in the West, arrived with a mysterious substance to aid the Roshigumi under orders of the shogun. Identified as Ochimizu ("Water of Life"), the concoction could make a human near immortal at the price of his very same humanity. After being forced to kill a comrade from the resulting madness in the same conversation, Hijikata and his captains strongly disapproved of any involvement.
Despite the reservations of the Kondou faction, Serizawa pushed the project forward and began testing on captured ronin and their own troops. Through dilution, the doctor was able to alleviate the lunacy up until the moment a test subject was exposed to fresh blood, upon which they degenerated into the same mindless beasts. Before this research could get any further, Kodo disappeared and forced the creation of rasetsu units to a halt.
To amend the second problem, the Roshigumi organized a series of events to boost public morale and soften the harsh rumors surrounding their reputation. However, for every great aim or achievement made on this front, Serizawa’s tendencies buried the merit by bombing merchants or violently coercing civilians.
Saitou, for his part, served beneath the tyrant with little complaint. The budding devotion that had been present on arrival deepened into a loyalty that would carry him into unnecessary fight after the next unquestioningly. In his own words,
"I didn't come back to life until I came here. In no other place was I acknowledged as a samurai. This is where I belong. Therefore, I have decided that no matter what happens in the future, I will believe in Kondou-san, Hijikata-san, and Sannan-san."
If they believed in following this man, then he would fall in line until told otherwise.
Miraculously, the Roshigumi was successful enough to be officially recognized as the Shinsengumi by late August. The title had once belonged to an ensemble of Aizu martial artist that owned a history Saitou described as "long and honorable".
It was a privilege that stunned and moved Saitou so much he reverted into mute contemplation while examining the door-plate for minutes on end. To think they who were called the wolves, seen as nothing before the eyes of the gods and spat at in the streets, were so blessed as to receive this name.
The public was less inclined towards the same ingratiating attitude. The Roshigumi frequently met difficulty on patrol, lacking authority and recognition to sway the hearts of citizens disgruntled with the shogun. Outlaws were hidden and defended in the same hissing breaths of insults - and not all of these actions were so unjust.
Serizawa Kamo, the acting commander, was instrumental in establishing the Roshigumi's political relations with the Aizu Domain and being granted any legal status. Although Kondou was of technically the same rank, the man so often deferred to the other that Serizawa singularly maintained dominance. Serizawa, albeit sharp and politically convenient, had a nasty temper that continuously impeded the organization’s progress.
Inadequate leadership was not their only obstacle. While they had secured the graces of the Aizu with a martial arts demonstration, the Roshigumi’s work would go unpaid until they made a greater name for themselves. This left the Kondou faction’s finances strained at best and deepened their reliance on Serizawa.
Worse still, Kyoto’s size far exceeded their meager numbers and rendered patrols ineffective without the cooperation of the citizens. For a stretch, every element seemed to work in tandem with one another to create a vicious cycle of defeat.
But Saitou's desire to be there never once waned and soon enough, their issues began to resolve.
For their thinned ranks, they received a unique solution. Kodo Yukimura, a doctor trained in the West, arrived with a mysterious substance to aid the Roshigumi under orders of the shogun. Identified as Ochimizu ("Water of Life"), the concoction could make a human near immortal at the price of his very same humanity. After being forced to kill a comrade from the resulting madness in the same conversation, Hijikata and his captains strongly disapproved of any involvement.
Despite the reservations of the Kondou faction, Serizawa pushed the project forward and began testing on captured ronin and their own troops. Through dilution, the doctor was able to alleviate the lunacy up until the moment a test subject was exposed to fresh blood, upon which they degenerated into the same mindless beasts. Before this research could get any further, Kodo disappeared and forced the creation of rasetsu units to a halt.
To amend the second problem, the Roshigumi organized a series of events to boost public morale and soften the harsh rumors surrounding their reputation. However, for every great aim or achievement made on this front, Serizawa’s tendencies buried the merit by bombing merchants or violently coercing civilians.
Saitou, for his part, served beneath the tyrant with little complaint. The budding devotion that had been present on arrival deepened into a loyalty that would carry him into unnecessary fight after the next unquestioningly. In his own words,
"I didn't come back to life until I came here. In no other place was I acknowledged as a samurai. This is where I belong. Therefore, I have decided that no matter what happens in the future, I will believe in Kondou-san, Hijikata-san, and Sannan-san."
If they believed in following this man, then he would fall in line until told otherwise.
Miraculously, the Roshigumi was successful enough to be officially recognized as the Shinsengumi by late August. The title had once belonged to an ensemble of Aizu martial artist that owned a history Saitou described as "long and honorable".
It was a privilege that stunned and moved Saitou so much he reverted into mute contemplation while examining the door-plate for minutes on end. To think they who were called the wolves, seen as nothing before the eyes of the gods and spat at in the streets, were so blessed as to receive this name.
For this Aizu Clan, for this Shinsengumi, he could follow any order to his grave.
For this Aizu Lord, he betrayed a friend. After helping dispose of Serizawa's second in command, Niimi Nishiki, the order was handed down to eliminate the commander himself. Saitou remained behind to prevent Shinpachi, who had trained in the same Edo school as Serizawa, from going to the man’s aid.
When the blood dried, the three men he had vowed to follow could finally receive the recognition they deserved.
When the blood dried, the three men he had vowed to follow could finally receive the recognition they deserved.
Chance Encounters and the Battle of Ikedaya
Not long after the dust settled on Serizawa's corpse, fate threw the Shinsengumi for another spell. Souji and Saitou had been sent to eradicate unauthorized rasetsu and acquired a curious witness in the process. Ultimately, the timid creature escorted back to the Yagi estate was revealed to be both a poor cross-dresser and daughter of mystery man Kodo Yukimura. When her life proved more useful than threatening, Chizuru Yukimura was allowed to remain at the compound under strict guard until her father was found.
That guard lessened when Hijikata was away on business, hostage and Shinsengumi sharing a meal when news came that Sannan had been critically injured. During an otherwise routine investigation of ronin harassing a cloth merchant, the ronin had gotten the better of him long enough to pierce through his left arm.
The room, jubilant before, went silent. The Shinsengumi had potentially lost a great swordsman.
By July of 1864, the captains knew they had lost more than just Sannan’s aid in battle. The man that returned was a bitter shell, his every word dripping with lingering self-pity and poison.
In the meanwhile, the Choshu domain had begun filling the streets of Kyoto with increasingly violent ‘protests’. Mostly, they were little better than murderers shouting the names of the Choshu's imperial nationalism to excuse the dishonor of their depravity. Nonetheless, their swelling numbers were a clear cause for the Shinsengumi's concern.
With the use of some creative investigation techniques, a captured Choshu soldier revealed a plot almost too insidious to be believed. The Choshu would wait for a day with strong air currents and set fire to Kyoto after kidnapping the emperor. The incredulity aside, the Shinsengumi were forced to take it seriously and preempt the attack.
They did so by splitting their forces between Kondou and Hijikata unevenly to search opposite ends of the city. Sannan had reasoned that the Choshu were most likely at Shikokuya and the larger unit was sent there.
Shortly after the captains had departed, Yamazaki returned to base with intel that their target was at Ikedaya. In desperate need, Chizuru was sent out with the reconnaissance officer to deliver the message. After she found Hijikata, Saitou and Harada were dispatched with their divisions to Ikedaya immediately.
Despite being vastly out-numbered and taking loss, the Battle of Ikedaya was a great success for the Shinsengumi. While the Aizu clan had stalled, their dozen men held the line long enough for the fighting force to reunite and prevail.
It was at Ikedaya that the Shinsengumi first encountered Kazama Chikage and Kyuujyu Amagiri, the end result of which left Okita and Toudou Heisuke out of commission for several weeks. Having no means to investigate the troubling pair or clue to their intent, the Shinsengumi focused its efforts on completing arrests and reestablishing order.
That guard lessened when Hijikata was away on business, hostage and Shinsengumi sharing a meal when news came that Sannan had been critically injured. During an otherwise routine investigation of ronin harassing a cloth merchant, the ronin had gotten the better of him long enough to pierce through his left arm.
The room, jubilant before, went silent. The Shinsengumi had potentially lost a great swordsman.
By July of 1864, the captains knew they had lost more than just Sannan’s aid in battle. The man that returned was a bitter shell, his every word dripping with lingering self-pity and poison.
In the meanwhile, the Choshu domain had begun filling the streets of Kyoto with increasingly violent ‘protests’. Mostly, they were little better than murderers shouting the names of the Choshu's imperial nationalism to excuse the dishonor of their depravity. Nonetheless, their swelling numbers were a clear cause for the Shinsengumi's concern.
With the use of some creative investigation techniques, a captured Choshu soldier revealed a plot almost too insidious to be believed. The Choshu would wait for a day with strong air currents and set fire to Kyoto after kidnapping the emperor. The incredulity aside, the Shinsengumi were forced to take it seriously and preempt the attack.
They did so by splitting their forces between Kondou and Hijikata unevenly to search opposite ends of the city. Sannan had reasoned that the Choshu were most likely at Shikokuya and the larger unit was sent there.
Shortly after the captains had departed, Yamazaki returned to base with intel that their target was at Ikedaya. In desperate need, Chizuru was sent out with the reconnaissance officer to deliver the message. After she found Hijikata, Saitou and Harada were dispatched with their divisions to Ikedaya immediately.
Despite being vastly out-numbered and taking loss, the Battle of Ikedaya was a great success for the Shinsengumi. While the Aizu clan had stalled, their dozen men held the line long enough for the fighting force to reunite and prevail.
It was at Ikedaya that the Shinsengumi first encountered Kazama Chikage and Kyuujyu Amagiri, the end result of which left Okita and Toudou Heisuke out of commission for several weeks. Having no means to investigate the troubling pair or clue to their intent, the Shinsengumi focused its efforts on completing arrests and reestablishing order.
Hamaguri Gate Rebellion
Their reputation continued to inspire fear out of the people, but the resolution of Ikedaya established the Shinsengumi as a power of law. As proof of their validation, they received official marching orders from the Aizu domain a month later. While Okita, Sannan, and Heisuke remained behind, the rest of the captains and Chizuru prepared for battle, making for the Fushimi magistrate’s office a few hours later.
Their departure began the start of a convoluted journey through bureaucratic tape. After a long day of irritation, they settled on Kujo Beach with Aizu's reserve troops.
The Shinsengumi kept a silent and proud watch into the next morning, on their feet within moments when the catcalls of war sounded off. Sharing some harsh words for the stagnant reserves, they rushed to Hamaguri Gate where the bulk of Aizu and Satsuma's forces had been stationed. The battle had concluded in the shogun's favor by the time of their arrival, carrion consequences freshly strewn out in the trail of Choshu's retreat.
Recovering what they could, the Shinsengumi divided into three bodies. Saitou held Hamaguri Gate and attended to the chaos with Yamazaki while the others split between Mount Ten'nou and Kuge Gate.
As Saitou sent his men off to their respective duties, the allied clans were observed squabbling over rights to take credit. The argument began to escalate, the threat of violence palpable when a tall man appeared from Satsuma's side and elicited a strike from an Aizu soldier.
Moving quickly, Saitou intervened to stop the charge. After a tense conversation and revelation of Amagiri's identity, Saitou flashed his blade to goad the other into its edge. The ruse was a failure and with promises that Heisuke would have his revenge someday, he was forced to back down.
Though he was able to pin the social consequences of the confrontation on the Satsuma clan and avoid any bloodshed, he left knowing Amagiri would make a deadly enemy someday.
The attack on the imperial home became known as the Hamaguri Rebellion. Those who escaped Kyoto set fire to the city as they fled, catching a north wind and reducing half the palace to ash. The Choshu were thereafter recognized as enemies of the court and the Shinsengumi’s jurisdiction expanded from Osaka to Hyogo.
As a direct response to the Hamaguri Rebellion, the First Choshu Expedition was launched. The shogunate intended to entirely eliminate the Choshu domain, but the Satsuma levied a compromise that ended the campaign with relatively little blood. Perhaps recognizing the massacre they had been spared, the Choshu fell quiet and Kyoto was peaceful for a time.
Their departure began the start of a convoluted journey through bureaucratic tape. After a long day of irritation, they settled on Kujo Beach with Aizu's reserve troops.
The Shinsengumi kept a silent and proud watch into the next morning, on their feet within moments when the catcalls of war sounded off. Sharing some harsh words for the stagnant reserves, they rushed to Hamaguri Gate where the bulk of Aizu and Satsuma's forces had been stationed. The battle had concluded in the shogun's favor by the time of their arrival, carrion consequences freshly strewn out in the trail of Choshu's retreat.
Recovering what they could, the Shinsengumi divided into three bodies. Saitou held Hamaguri Gate and attended to the chaos with Yamazaki while the others split between Mount Ten'nou and Kuge Gate.
As Saitou sent his men off to their respective duties, the allied clans were observed squabbling over rights to take credit. The argument began to escalate, the threat of violence palpable when a tall man appeared from Satsuma's side and elicited a strike from an Aizu soldier.
Moving quickly, Saitou intervened to stop the charge. After a tense conversation and revelation of Amagiri's identity, Saitou flashed his blade to goad the other into its edge. The ruse was a failure and with promises that Heisuke would have his revenge someday, he was forced to back down.
Though he was able to pin the social consequences of the confrontation on the Satsuma clan and avoid any bloodshed, he left knowing Amagiri would make a deadly enemy someday.
The attack on the imperial home became known as the Hamaguri Rebellion. Those who escaped Kyoto set fire to the city as they fled, catching a north wind and reducing half the palace to ash. The Choshu were thereafter recognized as enemies of the court and the Shinsengumi’s jurisdiction expanded from Osaka to Hyogo.
As a direct response to the Hamaguri Rebellion, the First Choshu Expedition was launched. The shogunate intended to entirely eliminate the Choshu domain, but the Satsuma levied a compromise that ended the campaign with relatively little blood. Perhaps recognizing the massacre they had been spared, the Choshu fell quiet and Kyoto was peaceful for a time.
Nishi Hongan-ji Temple
Snow still sticky on the ground, the Shinsengumi relocated their base of operations to Nishi Hongan-ji in March of 1865.
The need for a new establishment was becoming increasingly clear the month before, first brought into conversation over discussion of troop morale. After the Battle of Ikedaya, their numbers had surged and recruitment was at an all-time high. As a result, the infantrymen of their security force overfilled the Yagi estate’s walls, compounding the disgruntled tension natural to an organization’s expansion.
The temple was an obvious choice for this end. It offered the Shinsengumi the size to grow and a conveniently centralized location in Kyoto’s heart, significantly shortening the delay between rebel action and their reaction. As if to make Nishi Hongan-ji all the more appealing, the monks had a known history of cooperating with Choshu agents. Its capture would be as much a loss for the enemy as it would be a gain for the shogun.
Not everyone agreed with coercing the holy, however. The most vocal opposite came from Sannan, expressing his aversion with borderline disrespectful vehemence. It was uncouth, he said, to threaten men of peace with violence.
Under the thin veil of politeness, recent recruit Itou Kashitaro silenced Sannan’s arguments by correlating his lame limb with an overly cautious approach.
Itou had followed Kondou back from Edo with a hash of loyal acolytes, his faux-passive attitude and reputation earning him few points for first impressions with the Shinsengumi. This occasion did little to help that, tempers flaring quickly while pride and procedure clashed over protecting a friend or acknowledging a harsh truth.
Afterwards, the general consensus of the Shinsengumi was even less favorable for the new addition.
The damage incurred ran deeper than Saitou knew, Itou’s words cutting the last strings of Sannan’s restraint. In an attempt to restore his arm to fighting condition, the vice-commander had resumed research on Ochimizu and prepared an altered version. Finding that he had failed to remove the madness after consumption, Sannan turned his blade against himself.
Why didn’t Saitou know? He wondered this and more while standing guard in the courtyard that night, guilt-ridden he had failed to notice how unbearable life had become for Sannan. If he had seen, would he have been able to intervene? In an uncharacteristic moment, he let doubt linger.
“It’s better he die," He told Chizuru, the uncertainty gone as quickly as it had come. What-if scenarios served the soul no purpose, and lonely as it might have been, he could only deal with the what-is.
Sannan’s suicide failed, the false power of a demon healing his body while leaving the mind more broken than before. His sanity ebbed and flowed until morning, pieces of the man and monster locked in a fight for dominance where victory meant nothing.
Bleary, what relief the captains could savor in the early hours fled with Itou’s inquiry. The task of explanation was left to Saitou, his face a calm mask of diplomacy while he pandered to Itou’s ego to distract from the reality. Saitou’s careful manner seemed to endear the other man enough to grant leeway and the situation smoothed over with surprisingly little fuss.
He knew the next occasion, if there was one at all, would not be so easy. As a result of Sannan’s galvanized ego, the very person who protested the move to Nishi Hongan-ji forced the Shinsengumi’s hand into doing so.
On the official level, the monks of Nishi Hongan-ji agreed to house the Shinsengumi out of the goodness of their nationalist hearts. In reality, the Shinsengumi’s relocation consisted of far more telling than asking. The temple proved to be everything it promised, providing the much needed space to separate the newly created rasetsu units from Itou’s followers.
To the world, Sannan had died that evening in February. For Kyoto, he had become the night watch, controlling a pack of bloodthirsty rasetsu that destroyed everything but the moon in their path.
Things otherwise proceeded well for the Shinsengumi. In May, they received word they would personally guard shogun Iemochi and his family while en route to Nijo Castle. It was a tremendous sign of recognition, but not all of the captains were able – or wanted – to join.
With Okita and Heisuke remaining behind again, the rest of the Shinsengumi polished their swords and prepared for their task with a renewed sense of pride. The escort went to plan, their banners and heads held high even later as they paced the outer walls of the castle.
The need for a new establishment was becoming increasingly clear the month before, first brought into conversation over discussion of troop morale. After the Battle of Ikedaya, their numbers had surged and recruitment was at an all-time high. As a result, the infantrymen of their security force overfilled the Yagi estate’s walls, compounding the disgruntled tension natural to an organization’s expansion.
The temple was an obvious choice for this end. It offered the Shinsengumi the size to grow and a conveniently centralized location in Kyoto’s heart, significantly shortening the delay between rebel action and their reaction. As if to make Nishi Hongan-ji all the more appealing, the monks had a known history of cooperating with Choshu agents. Its capture would be as much a loss for the enemy as it would be a gain for the shogun.
Not everyone agreed with coercing the holy, however. The most vocal opposite came from Sannan, expressing his aversion with borderline disrespectful vehemence. It was uncouth, he said, to threaten men of peace with violence.
Under the thin veil of politeness, recent recruit Itou Kashitaro silenced Sannan’s arguments by correlating his lame limb with an overly cautious approach.
Itou had followed Kondou back from Edo with a hash of loyal acolytes, his faux-passive attitude and reputation earning him few points for first impressions with the Shinsengumi. This occasion did little to help that, tempers flaring quickly while pride and procedure clashed over protecting a friend or acknowledging a harsh truth.
Afterwards, the general consensus of the Shinsengumi was even less favorable for the new addition.
The damage incurred ran deeper than Saitou knew, Itou’s words cutting the last strings of Sannan’s restraint. In an attempt to restore his arm to fighting condition, the vice-commander had resumed research on Ochimizu and prepared an altered version. Finding that he had failed to remove the madness after consumption, Sannan turned his blade against himself.
Why didn’t Saitou know? He wondered this and more while standing guard in the courtyard that night, guilt-ridden he had failed to notice how unbearable life had become for Sannan. If he had seen, would he have been able to intervene? In an uncharacteristic moment, he let doubt linger.
“It’s better he die," He told Chizuru, the uncertainty gone as quickly as it had come. What-if scenarios served the soul no purpose, and lonely as it might have been, he could only deal with the what-is.
Sannan’s suicide failed, the false power of a demon healing his body while leaving the mind more broken than before. His sanity ebbed and flowed until morning, pieces of the man and monster locked in a fight for dominance where victory meant nothing.
Bleary, what relief the captains could savor in the early hours fled with Itou’s inquiry. The task of explanation was left to Saitou, his face a calm mask of diplomacy while he pandered to Itou’s ego to distract from the reality. Saitou’s careful manner seemed to endear the other man enough to grant leeway and the situation smoothed over with surprisingly little fuss.
He knew the next occasion, if there was one at all, would not be so easy. As a result of Sannan’s galvanized ego, the very person who protested the move to Nishi Hongan-ji forced the Shinsengumi’s hand into doing so.
On the official level, the monks of Nishi Hongan-ji agreed to house the Shinsengumi out of the goodness of their nationalist hearts. In reality, the Shinsengumi’s relocation consisted of far more telling than asking. The temple proved to be everything it promised, providing the much needed space to separate the newly created rasetsu units from Itou’s followers.
To the world, Sannan had died that evening in February. For Kyoto, he had become the night watch, controlling a pack of bloodthirsty rasetsu that destroyed everything but the moon in their path.
Things otherwise proceeded well for the Shinsengumi. In May, they received word they would personally guard shogun Iemochi and his family while en route to Nijo Castle. It was a tremendous sign of recognition, but not all of the captains were able – or wanted – to join.
With Okita and Heisuke remaining behind again, the rest of the Shinsengumi polished their swords and prepared for their task with a renewed sense of pride. The escort went to plan, their banners and heads held high even later as they paced the outer walls of the castle.
Unfortunately, uninvited guests spoiled the evening at Nijo Castle.
Chikage and Amagiri emerged from the darkness with a third accomplice, a man by the name of Kyo Shiranui. Shiranui had presented as an obstacle for Harada during the Hamaguri Gate Rebellion, an event Saitou would only become aware of when he intercepted the three demons apparently more interested in Chizuru than the shogun. As disinclined as the Shinsengumi was to believe their claims to demonic lineage, the enemy’s exceptional power could not be denied.
With more questions than answers, they were forced to allow the trio’s retreat to spare carnage. Chizuru insisted she knew nothing of their purpose and so for the third time, the Shinsengumi had to let their trail go cold.
A month later, Dr. Matusomoto Ryoujun visited Nishi Hongan-ji for a series of physical check-ups. While there, he pulled Okita aside to address the man’s consistent cough. Saitou followed shortly after, creeping around the courtyard unheard and unseen. When he caught up, he spotted a very poorly concealed Chizuru ducking down and Yamazaki in the trees.
Okita had contracted tuberculosis, the incurable killer of their age.
More concerned for his friend’s health than able to scold the girl for unscrupulous behavior, he pulled a hand over her mouth after he heard the grim diagnosis and instructed her to keep still. Later, as politely and firmly as he could, Saitou told Chizuru to stay out of it.
And then he told no one at all. Hijikata and Kondou, upon hearing the prognosis, would be too distraught for the Shinsengumi to function while it was still raw from growth. For the sake of maintaining their fragile world, Okita's condition was a secret that would have to remain between the three of them.
The Shinsengumi’s workload soon became busy again, making keeping that secret all the easier.
Nearly two years had passed since the Hamaguri Rebellion and the First Choshu Expedition. The quiet offered had been temporary at best and by the summer of 1866, the Second Choshu Expedition was launched.
However, the army the shogun found itself facing was a vastly different entity than it had encountered in 1864. The Choshu forces were modernized and cleanly organized, superior tactics consistently trumping the overwhelming numbers on the shogun’s side.
Morale plummeted when Iemochi passed away in late August, ending the Second Choshu Expedition with a surprising failure for the Tokugawa shogunate. Just twenty days after Iemochi’s successor was chosen, Yoshinobu Hitsotsubashi, the emperor passed away and was succeeded by the imperial prince.
Despite the chaos in the government, Kyoto itself remained relatively quiet. The Shinsengumi had gained wide fame at this point, small criminals fleeing at the hint of their pale blue uniforms on the horizon. Itou continued to be an outsider to the Shinsengumi’s core, earning few favors and friends during the length of his stay.
Life might have continued this way had Sannan’s prowling hounds not broken into the living quarters in April of 1867. As a response to Chizuru’s cries for help, Itou discovered the rasetsu and its disgruntled, very alive commanding officer.
When the pandemonium settled down, Saitou was ordered to shadow Itou as a supporter and ensure the Shinsengumi’s safety. Telling no one of this plan, he departed with Itou and Heisuke the next morning to establish The Guardians of the Imperial Tomb.
Desperately tired of the battles that followed the Shinsengumi, the monks of Nishi Hongan-ji purchased a plot of land and commissioned a new compound in Fudodo Village. When the structure was complete, the Shinsengumi relocated again in July.
With more questions than answers, they were forced to allow the trio’s retreat to spare carnage. Chizuru insisted she knew nothing of their purpose and so for the third time, the Shinsengumi had to let their trail go cold.
A month later, Dr. Matusomoto Ryoujun visited Nishi Hongan-ji for a series of physical check-ups. While there, he pulled Okita aside to address the man’s consistent cough. Saitou followed shortly after, creeping around the courtyard unheard and unseen. When he caught up, he spotted a very poorly concealed Chizuru ducking down and Yamazaki in the trees.
Okita had contracted tuberculosis, the incurable killer of their age.
More concerned for his friend’s health than able to scold the girl for unscrupulous behavior, he pulled a hand over her mouth after he heard the grim diagnosis and instructed her to keep still. Later, as politely and firmly as he could, Saitou told Chizuru to stay out of it.
And then he told no one at all. Hijikata and Kondou, upon hearing the prognosis, would be too distraught for the Shinsengumi to function while it was still raw from growth. For the sake of maintaining their fragile world, Okita's condition was a secret that would have to remain between the three of them.
The Shinsengumi’s workload soon became busy again, making keeping that secret all the easier.
Nearly two years had passed since the Hamaguri Rebellion and the First Choshu Expedition. The quiet offered had been temporary at best and by the summer of 1866, the Second Choshu Expedition was launched.
However, the army the shogun found itself facing was a vastly different entity than it had encountered in 1864. The Choshu forces were modernized and cleanly organized, superior tactics consistently trumping the overwhelming numbers on the shogun’s side.
Morale plummeted when Iemochi passed away in late August, ending the Second Choshu Expedition with a surprising failure for the Tokugawa shogunate. Just twenty days after Iemochi’s successor was chosen, Yoshinobu Hitsotsubashi, the emperor passed away and was succeeded by the imperial prince.
Despite the chaos in the government, Kyoto itself remained relatively quiet. The Shinsengumi had gained wide fame at this point, small criminals fleeing at the hint of their pale blue uniforms on the horizon. Itou continued to be an outsider to the Shinsengumi’s core, earning few favors and friends during the length of his stay.
Life might have continued this way had Sannan’s prowling hounds not broken into the living quarters in April of 1867. As a response to Chizuru’s cries for help, Itou discovered the rasetsu and its disgruntled, very alive commanding officer.
When the pandemonium settled down, Saitou was ordered to shadow Itou as a supporter and ensure the Shinsengumi’s safety. Telling no one of this plan, he departed with Itou and Heisuke the next morning to establish The Guardians of the Imperial Tomb.
Desperately tired of the battles that followed the Shinsengumi, the monks of Nishi Hongan-ji purchased a plot of land and commissioned a new compound in Fudodo Village. When the structure was complete, the Shinsengumi relocated again in July.
Aburano Koji Incident and the Meiji Restoration
Saitou remained with the Guardians of the Imperial Tomb (called “the Guard” for short) for six months, never drawing suspicion from either side as to his purpose. He would formally return to the Shinsengumi in November of 1867, days after the first act of the Meiji Restoration began.
The Meiji Restoration is the name given to a culmination of events that led to the revitalization of boy-emperor Meiji and the imperial court as Japan’s central power. Officially, the Tokugawa shogunate was stripped of most of its power before the new year arrived. Privately, control of the government still largely rested in the shogun’s hands.
A ronin allied with the Aizu and Satsuma clans, Ryoma Sakamoto, was responsible for orchestrating the abdication of rule in a way that allowed both powers to exist. As is true of any fair compromise, the results left few happy and had many calling for Sakamoto’s head.
Before too long, that call was answered by an unknown force. Orders had been handed down to leave Sakamoto unharmed after the restoration was complete and stayed the Shinsengumi’s blades. To the public, however, the discovery of Harada’s scabbard at the scene of the crime was damning evidence in itself.
Saitou shed some light on the subject.
Itou’s faction had circulated rumors that the Shinsengumi was hired by Kyotaro Miura of Kishu to eliminate Sakamoto, the first of many steps to sabotage and subvert. What’s more, Itou planned to assassinate Kondou.
Naturally, they returned the favor. Saitou and Souji remained at Fudodo Village while the other captains dispatched, luring Itou out after a night of drinks and carrying out their mission. Leaving the corpse for Itou’s men to discover, their plan had to been to draw the Guard out in an ambush.
Kazama intervened, alone, before the Shinsengumi was able to carry out the second stage of the assassination. Saitou engaged him in the courtyard, but the demon withdrew before any blows were traded.
Itou’s assassination became known as the Aburano Koji Incident, and despite failing to eliminate the snake's body, the loss of its head was considered a victory.
A month after rejoining the Shinsengumi, Saitou took refuge in the Tenma Inn to protect Kyutaro Miura. Most of the lower ranks were never made privy to his role as a spy, mocking him as a coward who had turned tail when his new master ceased to be convenient. He made no efforts to correct these misconceptions, content to live with the dishonor rather than bring it down on Hijikata or Kondou.
The Meiji Restoration is the name given to a culmination of events that led to the revitalization of boy-emperor Meiji and the imperial court as Japan’s central power. Officially, the Tokugawa shogunate was stripped of most of its power before the new year arrived. Privately, control of the government still largely rested in the shogun’s hands.
A ronin allied with the Aizu and Satsuma clans, Ryoma Sakamoto, was responsible for orchestrating the abdication of rule in a way that allowed both powers to exist. As is true of any fair compromise, the results left few happy and had many calling for Sakamoto’s head.
Before too long, that call was answered by an unknown force. Orders had been handed down to leave Sakamoto unharmed after the restoration was complete and stayed the Shinsengumi’s blades. To the public, however, the discovery of Harada’s scabbard at the scene of the crime was damning evidence in itself.
Saitou shed some light on the subject.
Itou’s faction had circulated rumors that the Shinsengumi was hired by Kyotaro Miura of Kishu to eliminate Sakamoto, the first of many steps to sabotage and subvert. What’s more, Itou planned to assassinate Kondou.
Naturally, they returned the favor. Saitou and Souji remained at Fudodo Village while the other captains dispatched, luring Itou out after a night of drinks and carrying out their mission. Leaving the corpse for Itou’s men to discover, their plan had to been to draw the Guard out in an ambush.
Kazama intervened, alone, before the Shinsengumi was able to carry out the second stage of the assassination. Saitou engaged him in the courtyard, but the demon withdrew before any blows were traded.
Itou’s assassination became known as the Aburano Koji Incident, and despite failing to eliminate the snake's body, the loss of its head was considered a victory.
A month after rejoining the Shinsengumi, Saitou took refuge in the Tenma Inn to protect Kyutaro Miura. Most of the lower ranks were never made privy to his role as a spy, mocking him as a coward who had turned tail when his new master ceased to be convenient. He made no efforts to correct these misconceptions, content to live with the dishonor rather than bring it down on Hijikata or Kondou.
Battle of Toba-Fushimi
Soon after the new year, retainers of the Satsuma Domain began to gather in Kyoto. In an effort to balance out their presence, the Shinsengumi was ordered to defend the Fushimi Magistrate’s office.
Two days later, Kondou sustained a bullet wound while on his way back to base from a conference with the fading shogunate army. He was sent with Okita to Osaka for recovery, Hijikata assuming leadership of the Shinsengumi in his absence.
On January 27th, the Battle of Toba-Fushimi began. To the Shinsengumi men, it had no name or apparent cause. Canon blasts shook the magistrate’s office violently, Satsuma forces pouring around the edges and threatening to overwhelm them. The disorder continued until Hijikata reached the main hall, impelling them into a counterattack.
Saitou was sent to Ryu’un Temple to take out the heavy artillery. This endeavor resulted in a confrontation with Amagiri and a possibly broken arm, ending in reluctant retreat when Chizuru implored. When they made it back to the complex, flames had all but consumed the hull and blocked their view.
Next, Saitou led the rest of his division and Chizuru to Mount Hanchiman. Here, they encountered enemy riflemen and hid until nightfall to confuse the shooters' arm. In retrospect, the daylight bullets would have been a kinder fate. What waited for them just behind the trees when they resumed moving was a far worse adversary than any gunman could be.
Between slashes through Saitou's body, Kazama taunted the samurai's sense of vengeance unsuccessfully, going on to appeal to self-preservation instincts that no longer existed.
Two days later, Kondou sustained a bullet wound while on his way back to base from a conference with the fading shogunate army. He was sent with Okita to Osaka for recovery, Hijikata assuming leadership of the Shinsengumi in his absence.
On January 27th, the Battle of Toba-Fushimi began. To the Shinsengumi men, it had no name or apparent cause. Canon blasts shook the magistrate’s office violently, Satsuma forces pouring around the edges and threatening to overwhelm them. The disorder continued until Hijikata reached the main hall, impelling them into a counterattack.
Saitou was sent to Ryu’un Temple to take out the heavy artillery. This endeavor resulted in a confrontation with Amagiri and a possibly broken arm, ending in reluctant retreat when Chizuru implored. When they made it back to the complex, flames had all but consumed the hull and blocked their view.
Next, Saitou led the rest of his division and Chizuru to Mount Hanchiman. Here, they encountered enemy riflemen and hid until nightfall to confuse the shooters' arm. In retrospect, the daylight bullets would have been a kinder fate. What waited for them just behind the trees when they resumed moving was a far worse adversary than any gunman could be.
Between slashes through Saitou's body, Kazama taunted the samurai's sense of vengeance unsuccessfully, going on to appeal to self-preservation instincts that no longer existed.
His body broken, Saitou kept fighting even when his arms could not handle the weight of his katana.
Then, as Saitou lay dying in the dirt, Kazama tossed him a red vial. Ochimizu. Without it, he stood no chance of defending Chizuru or the rest of his men. He probably would not survive the wounds of this battle alone.
His mind settled, he drank his poison and resumed the fight. The transformation into rasetsu was not enough to level the playing field, but it significantly closed the gap and kept him moving. Had Amagiri not come to retrieve Kazama, it's questionable if Saitou would've stopped before one of them died.
Taking no time for rest, Saitou waited a few moments after the demons disappeared from view and headed for Osaka Castle.
Previous Game History
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