Chapter 1

It was a hot summer day in Japan. The sun was shining brightly down apon the Kamia Kasshin dojo. Everyone was going about their noon time rutine. Kauru was sweeping the front porch of the dojo. Kenshin and doctor Gensai's dauters, Ayame and Suzune were hanging the laundry out to dry in the sun. Yahiko's feet padded acroos the tatame of the inner dojo as he pushed a damp rag along the floor to clean it. While every one else was working Sanosuke lazily snoozed outside and chewed on the end of a piece of straw.

Whithout even opening his eyes Sano shouted out to Yahiko, "Hey little guy, you missed a spot!"

Yahiko imeadietly stopped what he was doing and stood up stright. He then raised one fist in Sano's direction and replied, "If you don't like how I'm doing this, then get off your lazy ass and do something about it!"

Sano opened one eye and gave a sly grin. "Why should I?" he spat. "I'm not the one studying swordsmanship. Why should I have to clean the dojo?" He continued in a tone that he knew would anoy Yahiko.

"Why you no good free loader!" shouted Yahiko who was now red in the face.

Kaoru, after hearing the comomtion stopped sweeping and appeared on he scene, broom in hand. "You know what, Sanosuke?" she said grinning from ear to ear. "You owe me a fair amount of money for covering your tabbs at the Akabeko."

Sanosuke sat up quickly. "Huh?" he said even though he knew what was comeing.

"Don't worry, you can clean the dojo with Yahiko and work it off." continued Kaoruas as she stood beside Yahiko was now snickering audiably.

Sanosuke was now on his feet ready to run if nessesary. "Wait a minnuet! I thought that was a birthday pressent." he gasped, trying desperetly to get out of work.

This time Kaoru went scarlet with anger. The fact that Sanosuke was always ready and willing to skip out on work always made her blood boil. "Your birthday was two months ago, you wast of space!"

Sanosuke mind raced as he inched away from the Kaoru and her student, who were now brandishing their cleaning tools as weapons. "I thought it was a... belated birthday preseent!" he shouted.

Kenshin stood up and turnd to face his bickering friends. No matter how much argue and fight, they are still friends deep down. I guess that's what it means to really be friends, he thought to himself. But still I'd better try and to break this up, that I should. Kenshin then took Ayame and Suzune's hands and walked toward the scene. "Now now, you three. Don't you think we could just settle this peacfully?" he asked, but soon wished that he hadn't. For Kaoru and Yahiko were glaring over their shoulders at him with murder in their eyes.

"Did you say something?" they asked together venomously.

Kenshin quickly looked down and notised that the two girls had disapeared. When he looked back up Kauru and Yahiko were both fumeing in his direction for taking Sanosuke's side. Sweat rolled down the side of Kenshin's face as the other two glared down at him. He reached up with one hand and scrached the back of his neck nevously. "Oh me, I didn't say anything." he said quickly and turned back to his laundry. Then again friends can be a little scary sometimes, that they can. he thought.

Kaoru and Yahiko returned their attention to Sanosuke only just get a glimps of a white jacket, with the simble for wicked on the back turn the corner.

"Don't think I'll let you get away that easily!" yelled Kaoru a she started after him.

"Yah! Get back here and help me damn it!" cursed Yahiko.

Kaoru glanced back at Yahiko and said, "If you don't stop that cursing, Yahiko, you'll be cleaning the dojo for the rest of the day!" Kaoru hated to see Sanosuke's bad influence coming out in her student. "Get back in there and keep working. I'll deal with Sano." Kaoru then dashed after Sanosuke. As she rounded a corner she saw the same white jacket disapear out the gate. I've got you now, you freeloader. She thought to her self has she reached the gate. As she turned in the same direction that Sanosuke had turned she collided with the same person she was chasing. The two of them bowled over eachother untill they landed in a mangled heap. A frightened postman stood off to the side holding a single letter in his hand

"What the hell just happened?" moaned Sanosuke to himself as he sat up rubbing his head. "I stopped so I didn't hit that guy and the next thing I know, the little missy's legs are wraped around my head."

"GET OFF ME!!!!" screamed an enraged Kaoru.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry." Sano did as he was told so as to bring further wrath from the young kamia kashin master.

After the to of them stood back up and the situation was calm again the postman spoke up in a meager voice. "I have a letter from Kyoto to the Kamia dojo."

"Oh I'll take that." said Kaoru as she strightened herself up and plastered on a smile.

After the postman had handed over the package and continued on his route, Kaoru turned the letter over to read the sender's address.

"Who's it from?" asked a now recovered Sano.

"It's from Misao and every at the Aoiya." She replied exitedly. It's been a while since we last heard from them."

"Yah, not since that whole incident with the Black Knights and the Sanada ninja." added Sanosuke.

After a few minnuets the whole group had gathered in the main living room of the Kamia house. Kenshin sat on a cushion at one end of the room with letter in hand while the rest of the gang sat or stood at the other. "To Kenshin and all our other friends in Tokyo," he began. "Good news! We'll be in town this weekend on business. As I'm sure you remember from the last time we were togther, the Sanada ninja have been the Oniwaban group's rival for a long time. Well, that's about to change!"

At this point Kenshin paused alowing what he had just read to sink in. He looked up from the letter and saw that the entire room was listening closely. He took a deep breath and continued. "After the incident with the black knights, the leader of the Sanada, Miss Misanagi contacted us in Kyoto. She said that in this new Meiji era the ninja clans won't survive if they keep to their old rivalries. So she asked if we'd like to bury the hatchet between are two clans. Then Lord Aoshi sugjested that our clans sign an alliance and start working together. If they agree Miss Misanagi will meet with Lord Aoshi in Tokyo this weekend to seal the deal. If all goes well we want you guys to celabrate with us. You did more then save our buts back in those caves, so it's the least we can do. We hope to see you soon. Signed, Misao and the Oniwaban group."

"P.S. Lord Aoshi was hoping that since he's in town if he could take Kenshin up on that tea offer he made when he last saw him."

Kenshin folded the letter as he finnished the last sentence. "Well it's nice to know that Aoshi has finally starting to return to his old self." he said happily.

Kaoru stood up from her seat on the floor. "Alright, listen up everyone." said said, catching the group's attention. "I'm going to wright to them, I'll insist that they use our dojo as the location to hold the meeting." She then paused as she thought for a moment and then continued. "Kenshin! You and Yahiko are to make certain that the dojo looks it's best. We're going to host a very important diplomatic meeting." She then turned her gaze to Sanosuke, who was leaning up against th doorway. "Sano, I want you to head over to the Akabeko and make reservations with me after I send the letter."

Sano pushed off from the wall and folded his arms the way he did when he was confused. "Why should we have to make reservations? It's just the Akabeko, right?" he asked.

"There have been alot of forien ships pulling into Yokohama harbor lately. So many, that the sailors have been pouring over to the more in land hot spots." She replied. Kaoru then turned back to face the whole group. "Well, let's get going we've gotta party to get ready for in a few days!"

With that, everyone, includeing Yahiko jumped up and dashed out of the room. Everyone exept for Kenshin who seemed puzzled by what Kaoru had said. I wonder if this huge influx of forieners is why Aoshi wants this alliance, he thought to himself. A moment went by before Ken shin notised that Kaoru was watching him.

"Are you alrigtht? You look a little worried, Kenshin." she said with a concerned look on her face.

"Oh, don't worry about me." said Kenshin with a smile. "I guess I'm just a little nervous about haveing two rival ninja clans under our roof at the same time." And with that the two of them left together to continue their work.

Later that night, a dark form crept over the side of one of the American ships, docked in Yokohama. After it had stepped into the light of the moon it was reveiled to be the form of a young man. On his back was a small bundle. on his head, he wore a tattered black cowboy hat. A long dark coat and duster kept his outline blured in the night. A faded red button up shirt covered his chest and his leggings made of buckskins that tucked into brown leather boots. His foot steps were as silient as a cat, even though he moved with great speed.

A gust of wind picked up and the young man tried to grab hold of his hat but was to late. The hat flew into the street and stopped in the very middle.

The young man waited for a moment to be sure that there was not a night watchman on patrol before quickly dashing out of his concealment in the shadows. As he reached for his hat the young man's jet black hair, as well as two white eagle feathers flew into his eyes. As soon as he had regained the tattered thing he place the hat back on his head. And as he quickly returned to the shadows he whispered to himself, "Well Cloud, what have you got your self into this time."

A.N. Well, there's Chap 1. Know that I wrote most of it past 10 o'clock at night. My reveiw offer still stands. Let me know how I'm doing.