Author-chan's notes: Hello, everyone! I've finally gotten off my bum and I'm updating this fic! (That plus Sam and I have a little wager going on with this fic…) So back with the insanity of Saito and Fujita…

P.S. Sam, this chapter is for you.

Yin and Yang

(Chapter Four: Return of the Miburo)

After meeting with the Kenshin-gumi at the Akabeko, she had invited them to share lunch with her, Tsutomu, and Eiji while she began to tell them about her husband's "dilemma". Needless to say, the Kenshin-gumi were shocked…

…that was an understatement.

"WHAT?" Yahiko yelped, "Are you saying that Saito has a split personality?"

"Hai," Tokio nodded.

"I always knew there was something wrong with that crazy old wolf," Sano muttered.

"Well it is not that surprising, de gozaru," Kenshin shrugged, "Saito is a veteran of the Bakumatsu after all."

"And as we all know, veterans of the Bakumatsu have their…quirks," Tokio added.

"Yeah, look at Kenshin!" Yahiko piped up with a grin.

"Oro!" Kenshin cried out indignantly. Tsutomu giggled at the redhead.

"Ken-nii is funny, Kaa-chan," Tsutomu declared, grinning at the redhead, "Just like Tou-chan!"

"Yes, just like Tou-chan," Tokio murmured, a small glint of understanding and suspicion in her eyes.

"Tokio-dono," Kenshin began, "What is it exact that you want us to do about Saito, de gozaru?"

"It's slightly hard to explain," Tokio confessed, "Do you believe in prophetic dreams, Himura-san?"

"Sessha has…experienced…such things in the past, de gozaru," Kenshin admitted slowly, "Why?"

"I believe I had a similar experience," Tokio answered, "I believe that it was my dream that caused me to seek you out."

"For what?" Kaoru asked, entering the conversation, "What do you need Kenshin for?"

"He might be able to understand Hajime and Goro's situation better than most," Tokio answered, "After all, he's in a similar position."

"Kenshin does not have a split personality!" Kaoru protested, before looking uncertainly at the red-haired swordsman, "Do you, Kenshin?"

"Sessha can honestly say that he doesn't have two personalities trapped in sessha's head, de gozaru," Kenshin replied with a smile. The Kenshin-gumi raised their eyebrows at that. Sano gave off a cough that sounded suspiciously like a sarcastic "sure…"

"Still, you probably know my husband better than all of us," Tokio protested, "Both of you lived through the Bakumatsu. Please, help."

"Tokio-dono," Kenshin laughed, "Sessha never said sessha wouldn't help, de gozaru. Quite the opposite really."

"Oh," Tokio blushed, "Thank you."

qpqpqpqp

Saito strode into the station, as calm as you please. A sliver of a cigarette stuck out of his mouth, the gray-white smoke wafting around him like a cloud…a sinister cloud…a sinister, scary cloud…

…You get the point.

Saito smirked to himself. Finally that idiot Fujita was silent, and his head was his again. As he breathed in another lungful of the toxic cloud that puffed out of the white cylinder in his mouth, Saito was stopped by one of the doorway guards.

"Lieutenant Fujita!" the guard gasped, recognizing the smoking man, "What are you doing? You shouldn't smoke in here!"

"And why not?" Saito muttered, glaring down at the guard causing the guard to whimper slightly at the cold eyes directed at him.

The guard shivered. Lieutenant Fujita may have been his ranking officer, but he had never been someone to be afraid of! For goodness sakes, among the other police officers he was something of a joke…the good cop that was more like big brother than dispenser of justice. But now Fujita was projecting an aura that practically screamed that he was someone to be feared.

"I thought so," Saito smirked when the guard didn't answer.

The guard shivered as the lieutenant walked away. He had to report Fujita's odd behavior to the Chief right away!

qpqpqpqp

Chou had tried everything to break out of his little jail cell. He had tried digging his way out (which had failed as was seen last chapter). He had tried bribing to officers (which didn't work since he had no cash). He had tried gnawing on the steel bars of the cell (and nearly broke his teeth). He even tried to be stupid and act like the rooster head and try out a Futae no Kiwami (failing not only in the technique, but in keeping his hand in one piece).

But now he had a new idea that would help him break out for sure!

Chou grinned to himself as he tore the bed sheets into strips and tied them together into a long rope. Giving the rope a few tugs to make sure it was strong enough, Chou nodded in approval when the stripped cloth held. Perfect.

Chou already knew it was useless to try to escape through the tiny window in his cell; there were not only bars, but he would never fit through the tiny hole. That's why he had a different plan in mind.

Fashioning his newly formed rope into a noose, Chou grinned to himself. He knew that every now and then the officers checked up on the inmates to make sure everything was a-okay. The officers also checked to see if any inmates had ended up dying in their cells. If a prisoner was dead, an officer would come in to carry out the body.

THAT was how Chou was going to make his escape. He would pretend that he was dead!

qpqpqpqp

Chief of police Kawaji sighed as he rubbed his forehead. It was a slow day so far, with nothing to do but paperwork. Eventually, it was enough to drive a man mad.

Kawaji groaned to himself. He had a headache.

"Chief! Chief!" a cry from outside his office yelled. Suddenly the door slammed open to reveal one of the main entrance guards.

"What are you doing here, Matsuo-san?" Kawaji asked wearily.

"I-It's Fujita-san!" the young guard yelped out, "There's something wrong with him!"

"Eh, what about Lieutenant Fujita?" Kawaji asked, sitting up a bit straighter. Of all the officers in the station only he knew about Saito and Fujita's dual nature. True the man was one of the best officers they had and the best spy they had, but he had to admit, the former Shinsengumi captain's lack of mental stability worried him. Any report about Fujita/Saito had to be taken seriously, no matter how small it was.

Kawaji had already made precautions in case Saito/Fujita went further off the deep end. All of the guards knew that if they saw Fujita act different than normal, they were to report immediately to him.

"Are you going to be silent all day long, Matsuo-san, or are you going to tell me what is going on with Fujita?" Kawaji growled when the guard didn't speak again.

"He's acting strange, chief," Matsuo began slowly, "He's not as jovial as usual…I've seen Fujita on a bad day. He's never been so cold and rude! Not to mention, he was on time for once! And I got this strange vibe around him almost like…"

"…He was a wolf and you were prey, right?" Kawaji finished for him, "Kami-sama, let me guess, he had his eyes open and they were glowing amber."

"Aa," Matsuo nodded nervously.

Kawaji swore.

"That damn wolf!" Kawaji snarled out loud, "What does he think he's doing? We had an agreement! No coming out unless it was an assignment!"

Kawaji snarled again and stormed out of the office looking for his wayward employee.

Meanwhile, Matsuo stood stock still in the office, completely petrified.

'Scary…' the guard thought.

qpqpqpqp

Meanwhile, Saito headed down towards the prison cells for the usual inmate check. Fujita had volunteered to do the prison check for this time block after the usual officer on duty, one Lieutenant Yamashita, had taken sick. Even though it was his duty, Saito had an alternative motive for checking out the prisoners.

He was in a bad mood. If one of those idiot criminals pissed him off, he would take advantage of the situation and gain some stress relief…the old fashioned way.

Saito smirked slightly as he caressed his katana hilt. There in cell 24B was his target.

"Nice to see you here, broom-head," Saito smirked.

qpqpqpqp

Tokio left the Akabeko and the Kenshin-gumi with Tsutomu holding her hand and Eiji trailing behind her. The woman walked home in much higher spirits than when she left. She had talked extensively with the Kenshin-gumi had the group had set up a date to meet again.

"Kaa-chan?" Tsutomu asked, looking up at his mother.

"Yes, Tsutomu-chan?" Tokio replied with a smile.

"Are you happy?"

"Of course, dear," Tokio smiled, "I think we might be able to get your Otou-san all straightened out for once."

"Tou-chan is not straight?" Tsutomu blinked confused. Eiji snickered at the boy's words.

"Eiji-kun?" Tsutomu asked, looking at his adoptive older brother, "If Tou-chan is not straight, does that mean he's bent?"

"You could say that, Tsutomu-kun," Eiji snickered, "He's messed up in the head."

"But Tou-chan's head seems okay," the younger boy protested, "'Cept for those funny black things that stick out of his hair."

"His bangs?" Eiji asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Un!" Tsutomu nodded, "They look like spider legs!"

"They do, don't they?" Eiji snickered. Tokio rolled her eyes.

"That enough out of you boys," Tokio said sternly, "Stop making fun."

"Hai," the two chorused back to her after exchanging a quick glance. Tokio sighed.

There was a long moment of silence.

"Do you two really think he needs a haircut that badly?" Tokio asked, finally breaking the still.

"Hai!"

qpqpqpqp

Elsewhere in Tokyo, trouble brewed.

There, in the darkened streets of Tokyo's slums, where only the bravest of cops (in other words, not Chou) ventured, Ishimaru Ibuki, head of one of Tokyo's many yakuza groups, plotted.

"So you guys got in?" Ishimaru's voice asked the two figures sitting across from him.

"Hai, Ishimaru-sama," the two figures coursed as one. Ishimaru smirked.

"It was easy, Ishimaru-sama," the figure to Ishimaru's right smirked, "Using the forged papers my brother here wrote up, we were allowed in without question."

"The police are desperate for new recruits," the second figure added, "They would hire any bum off the street as long as all his body parts were intact. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if they hired one of those crazy maniacs left over from the Bakumatsu just to fill their ranks!"

"Yes, Ishimaru-sama," the first figure nodded, "With the Saruwatari brothers on the case, you need not worry about anything."

"Quite," Ishimaru smirked, "You've done well. Dismissed."

"Hai!" the two brothers nodded before disappearing.

Ishimaru smirked to himself. The Saruwatari brothers were the best at any form of deceit, whether it was forging documents or going into disguise, they were the best. Ishimaru currently had them doing one of the most important missions for the yakuza yet.

There goal was to get as much information on the inner workings of the police as possible. To complete their goal, the two had done the unthinkable.

They decided to pose as new recruits for the police.

Or more specifically, as new recruits for the Sword Bearing Police.

That's right, ladies and gents…these two men were taking sword lessons under the tutelage of one Fujita Goro…

…Or should we say Saito Hajime?

-

Author-chan's notes: Can we say, foreshadowing with a sledgehammer? I do that a lot in this story.

Congrats to everyone who correctly guessed who Tokio's "dream man" is. Like I said, it is painfully obvious.

Sorry for the long delay in an update, but I've been busy with my other stories. "Like Father Like Son" is eating my soul! MY SOUL! cries

Please R&R!