Alright, I know you've all been waiting disperatly for me to post my new chapter, but you know I would have posted it yesterday I just ended up getting on a roll with the next few chapters that I passed out before I remember to post. So since you've all waited so patently I'm going to shut up and let you have IT.

(Throws pie, but misses BADLY) ….

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That was supposed to hit you….

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I THROW LIKE A GIRL! (Starts to cry)

(Mean while back in the sane world Editor speaks) Please remember to read, review and enjoy, unless you want Ruroni throwing a hissy fit and refusing to post the next chapters…. She is the only one with the password….

Hiraru looked around yet again. She was checking to make sure she was on the right street. A month had passed since her sparring match with Yahiko, and the lines of communication between the two had improved greatly. Oddly enough, it had been Yahiko who made the attempt at talking kindly first, by asking for help with his swordsmanship. The roof was now four-sixths done, but Hiraru wasn't working on that today. She'd taken the day off from all her jobs. She was a town over from Tokyo, looking for a particular long house. The house of Tsukioka Tsunan, or better known as Cadet Tsukioka Katsuhiro by her father, to be exact.

She was dressed in a kimono; it was well worn, and repaired, and in a style that matched one from ten years earlier. Her kimono was deep, but faded, golden yellow with red, orange, and brown autumn leaves stitched in. In her hair was a simple red headband; washed-out, torn up, and turned into a bow, it sat on the side of her head, framing her face. It had once been her father's. She hoped it would bring back memories of her father to Tsukioka-san. In all the red, even if it was faded, she looked perfect, but also anyone who looked at her would think she was the daughter of a once powerful samurai who had turned very poor. Her posture spoke of a woman who was very proud, but not of one brought up by any proper woman. She held her head upright, and though she was looking around, it wasn't in an innocent way, but a determined look of someone unafraid.

Despite the history-worn clothing, Hiraru looked immensely feminine and ladylike. Her just-past shoulder-length hair was down and floating in the wind. Her bangs sat on her forehead and in her eyes, and the gentle smile that quested on her lips every few minutes was like her father's, yet at the same time very pretty. Every few minutes she pushed her hair way from her face and neck, wanting to take out the head-band-turned-ribbon and use it to hold her hair back. She was used to it that way, being the shrine maiden for nine years. (Shrine maidens are suppose to keep their hair tied back, priestesses, however, are allowed to have their hair anyway they want.)

Finally finding the building she was looking for, she knocked on the appropriate door and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

After a minute she knocked again, and called out in a gentle voice, "Tsukioka Tsunan-san?"

Five minutes passed, and she knocked again, not giving up. She knew he was home. "Tsukioka-san? I know you're there, please answer the door." She continued to attempt to be sweet and get him to answer the door.

Once again nothing happened, she knocked again, this time harder, and called out sternly, "Former Sekiho Army Cadet, Tsukiako Katsuhiro, open this door now. In the name of Captain Sagara Sozo, open the door."

The door was flung open and Hiraru found herself looking up at a tall, long-haired man in plain clothes, a printed coat and an almost floral head band. He looked angry when he forced the door open, but as he took in Hiraru his eyes widened and his jaw slackened. Hiraru bowed a little, politely saying, "Tsukioka-san, it has been a very long time."

"You . . . You look like . . . " he stuttered, unable to finish a full sentence.

Hiraru smiled, "I'm quiet aware of who I look like. Please, may we talk inside?"

Tsukioka nodded and stepped aside to let the "female twin" of his old captain inside. Hiraru carefully slipped out of her sandals before she stepped into the living area of the former cadet.

"You seem to be surviving," she commented as she sat on the cushion Tsukioka quickly supplied for her. "How is your health?"

Tsukioka looked at her. "I'm alright . . ." he trailed off, not sure how to ask the next question.

"Please," Hiraru supplied for him, "Allow me to give you my true name, I'm Kojima Hiraru, daughter of Kojima Shiro."

Tsukioka looked at her, clearly confused. "Should I know those names?"

Hiraru smiled, it was too much like Captain Sagara for Tsukioka to handle. "You would know my father better by the name Sagara Sozo."

Tsukioka's jaw dropped again, before he cried in a surprised voice, "Captain Sagara didn't have any children!"

Hiraru just continued to smile as she explained, "That's right, he never told any of his men that he had a family, just in case they were captured and tortured. The information of my bothers' and my existence was kept a secret from even my father's most trusted friends. And to further complicated things, my father changed his name, in case any should think of the connection between my mother and he." Tsukioka stood and began to pace the small room as Hiraru finished, "But I assure you I am Sagara Sozo's only legitimate daughter."

Tsukioka turned on her. "Prove it!" he growled.

Another gentle smile passed over her face. "Is the fact that I look like your former captain not enough proof for you?"

"No!" Tsukioka growled again, pacing as quickly as he could. "You could be wearing makeup, your hair could be dyed, there are a number of possibilities I probably don't even know about!"

A chuckle escaped Hiraru's throat as she pulled her mother's locket from under her kimono. Carefully she opened it and held it out in her open palm for the man to see. "Before my father started the Sekiho, he agreed to my mother's request of having his picture taken so she could put it in her locket, therefore remembering him for all time, and so she could show it to his children, so they -we- wouldn't forget his face."

Inside the locket were two small black-and-white photos; one of a beautiful, frail-looking young woman, and the other of Captain Sagara. Though Sagara was not in his Sekiho uniform, Tsukioka could tell it was him. The man in the picture was maybe a year or so younger than the captain when Tsukioka joined the army, and he had the same perfect smile that was on the young woman before him, just as he remembered the captain always wearing.

The young woman in the picture beside him had long hair, which was loose around her face. Her eyes held much happiness within them, and her face was a perfect heart shape. Tsukioka looked from the locket to the woman before him. The two women looked almost nothing alike, but the resemblance between the man and Hiraru was amazing.

The corners of Hiraru's lips twitched, and she said, "I'm often told that I am very little like my mother." It was as though she was reading Tsukioka's mind. "And I've done this several times with men who had loyalties to my father, though only once before to a former member of the Sekiho." She put the locket back around her neck, tucking it underneath her kimono once more.

"Hiraru…" Tsukioka repeated, "That was your name?"

The girl smiled. "Yes."

Tsukioka sat down on his own cushion. "To be honest, Hiraru-chan, I'm not sure if you are who you say you are, but the shared looks between you and my captain are undeniable," he said reluctantly.

The man put his head into his hands. This girl had just come in and changed almost everything he thought he knew about his Captain Sagara. "I just don't know." He took several deep breaths, and then he asked a question he'd been wondering since she showed up on his door step: "Why are you here? If you are the daughter of Captain Sagara . . ."

Hiraru sighed, but kept on her smile, pleased with this reaction. "You know there are only three living member of the Sekiho. Yourself, an old man with a family, whose name and where abouts I won't give you because I promised him and his wife, and one other. Perhaps you remember him: Sanosuke?"

Tsukioka looked at Hiraru, though her face was unreadable. He nodded and replied, "I remember him. I thought he'd been killed."

Hiraru's smile widened. "Please don't lie to me, I know he found you several months ago, back when you were a painter." She removed a folded piece of paper, and unfolded it so he could see it. It was the ever unpopular painting he'd done of Captain Sagara, with himself and Sano flanking him. "Since then, you've become a newspaper writer?"

Tsukioka nodded.

"And how has that been going for you?" she asked, looking down at the floor, where her hand was stroking the bamboo mats.

"Well enough," Tsukioka replied, unsure what she was getting at.

"You must do a lot of fact-finding as the only writer and editor," Hiraru continued, tilting her head.

"I suppose . . . but really, I tend to write more about the government's injustices, that's more of an opinion of the people, those sort of facts." Tsukioka crossed his arms in a gesture that indicated he would rather talk about 'the government's injustices' than anything else. He waited to see what Hiraru's reply would be.

"I see," was all she said for several seconds. Then she looked at him again, "Tell me, do you know what happened to my father's swords? The ones you drew in this picture?" Hiraru indicated the painting between them.

For the umpteenth time that day, Tsukioka's jaw dropped. "His swords?" he repeated disbelievingly.

"Yes," Hiraru nodded. "It would mean a great deal if I could find them and show them to my grandfather before he dies. My grandfather was my father's father-in-law. He believed my mother made a mistake and married a hopelessly poor samurai who could never give her everything she needed. If I can find my father's swords, I can prove my father's honor to him." Her face had a very sad look to it, but her smile never fell completely.

Tsukioka sighed. "I'm sorry I don't know what happened to them," he replied. "The man who killed him could have taken them, but I'm not one hundred percent sure."

Tsukioka really did feel bad for her. He wished he could tell her more, but he couldn't remember anything else. The last thing he remembered, the captain had ordered them to split up. Sano had been the one who went with the captain. He told her as much.

Hiraru nodded, her face falling a little more."Thank you Tsukioka-san," she said. "I have one more request. This one may be harder than the one for information, but I hope you can answer it."

Tsukioka leaned forward, "I'll do what I can."

Her smile fell for the first time, and she looked at him with the same determination the Captain had often shown. "I must order you to not tell Sanosuke," she began coolly. "You cannot tell him anything that has happened here this day, and you cannot tell him of me, not even that there are descendants of Sagara Sozo. It is a matter of life and death for me and my family."

"But Sano would never harm anyone related to Captain Sagara," Tsukioka protested. "And he'd be overjoyed to hear that anyone with bloodlines to the captain would be looking for his swords! He'd probably even help you!"

Hiraru shook her head, a small motion but still it sent rippling waves through her fine hair. "And he would ask where I was when my father was killed, and why my family never came forward, and why I waited until now to make myself known to the Sekiho. I have no answers to that, except for fear. And he will look upon me in disgust for it." She looked up at Tsukioka as she continued on. "You know your old friend. He is a man that prides himself on standing for his beliefs, standing for the Sekiho, and not being afraid of anything. Tell me, how do I explain being afraid to a man that believes a person should swallow their fears and continue to fight for all their worth?"

Tsukioka could say nothing.

Hiraru smiled sadly, "Perhaps you will remember a small town which you and the Sekiho Army traveled through one year before your captain's death."

Tsukioka looked at her confused. What was her point?

"It was a very small town, but there was a lady who acted as its protector. Your captain went to ask if he and his men could use the winter fields as a campsite for the night. He brought with him his lieutenants, you, and Sanosuke. When you entered the house's main gates, you were greeted by the lady. Her eldest son was behind her. He was thirteen at the time, and carried a sword awkwardly. At her sides where her two younger children, a nine-year-old boy with short-cut hair, and his twin sister, who clung to her mother's hand."

As Hiraru spoke, describing the town, Tsukioka listened and relived it all in his mind's eye.

"The lady agreed to it, and offered for the captain, Sanosuke, and you a place in her home. Tell me, do you remember that? Do you remember the boys? Their sister? The Grand Lady?"

Tsukioka nodded, "She was dressed elegantly, her hair long and loose around her shoulders. When the captain asked, she said her husband had gone to protect his people. The boy and girl were our age, so Sano and I ended up playing with them as it was getting dark. We made the little girl cry because we pushed her out of a tree . . ."

"Yes," Hiraru smiled. "I believe my elder brother hung you and Sano from that same tree by your belts, while my twin walked me home to my mother." She looked at him again. "You've changed since then."

Tsukioka's eyes grew wide. "The little girl with pigtails . . . That was you?"

Hiraru nodded. "That was the last time I saw my father alive," she said. "He came to see my mother and my youngest brother, who was almost thirteen months old at that point. My mother, being the kind soul she was, wouldn't allow any children to sleep on the ground when she could allow them to sleep in a warm bed, so she extended her invitation to you and Sanosuke and offered a room to my father, 'should he be concerned about his cadets' conduct'. It was a perfect plan. My parents never exchanged letters, so a year and a half after the last time he saw my mother, he returned to see his children and the woman he would risk his life for. That was when he learned of his youngest son . . ." Here Hiraru trailed off.

She looked up at Tsukioka again. Tsukioka suddenly understood all the little things about his captain, why he seemed so fatherly to Sanosuke and himself.

"Tsukioka-san, you and Sano have changed so much since then, as have I, but even then neither of you knew who I was. I think it best if it remains that way. You have to understand, I met him again a few months ago. He saved me, and then later I ran into him again and he introduced himself to me. Anyone who loved my father enough to take his name deserves to hear from me that I am his hero's child." She reached out and placed her fingers on the back of his hand. "Please Tsukioka-san, you can't tell Sano about me, and if you ever meet me again you must act as though you don't know me."

The man looked in the eyes of the girl. He didn't want to lie to his friend, but this girl made valid points. He sighed, "Alright, I won't talk about it, but if he asks about this specifically, I won't lie."

"I would expect nothing less from a Sekiho Army Cadet." Hiraru smiled again and stood. "I should go, I have a long walk home."

Tsukioka stood and walked her to the door. Hiraru stopped before opening the door and faced him. "I know this is a lot of information to take in at one time, and I'm expecting a lot from you Tsukioka-san, but know that I would not lie about the Sekiho. But I swear I've not told you any lies."

She went onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, "Thank you, I'm glad the cadets I came to care for are still alive." She turned, opened the door and left Tsukioka staring in shock after her.

(Ruroni is still crying, Editor is no help,) Um…. Ruroni, you are a girl… And you might want to know, the readers have finished your chapter…. Why are your friends eating the pie off the ground?

(Ruroni stops cry) Oh, their freaks for Pie, and why waste perfectly good pie, this is a clean environment after all.

So readers, I suggest you review, I can be fairly temperamental, (She means act like a drama queen) And you don't want me cutting your rations…. (She means throw a hissy fit and refuse to post chapters) So push the review button, before I put you in the cooler (Ruroni has been watching Hogan's Heros this week, Someone needs to cut off her TV time…)

REVIEW!