Koneko watched her host carefully as she went through a set of practice swings. She had explained a while ago that her student, Yahiko, was ordered to sweep the floors as punishment for calling her 'Busu' during breakfast. She then decided that Koneko should start with the practice swings instead of waiting for Yahiko to finish so they wouldn't waste time.

"Did you get that?" she asked Koneko, lowering her shinai.

"Hai."

"Good. Now I want to see you try it." she spun the shinai until the hilt was facing Koneko, who took it calmly. "Remember, the movements must be fluid."

Koneko nodded, swinging the shinai left and right to get its feel. It felt heavier than her dagger and its weight was more centered on the wooden 'blade.' Koneko would have to relax her swings a little to keep it from jerking too much.

She gripped the hilt firmly, keeping the point of the shinai in an angle pointing upwards. Her hidden dagger was a familiar lump at her side. Normally, she would have kept the 'blade' part of her weapon hidden, as her father did. But the Kamiya Kasshin does not require as much deceit - and less killing.

Koneko swung the shinai as she had seen Kaoru do, striking at an imaginary opponent in front of her. She raised the shinai upwards and struck. Raise. Strike. Raise. Strike. She went through the exercise a few more times until Kaoru called for her to stop.

"You're moving fluidly but your aim isn't straight." The Kamiya Kasshin instructor held Koneko's hands, guiding her swings into a straight line. "Remember, the goal of the Kamiya Kasshin is to protect without killing. So this exercise aims for the enemy's shoulders or head, knocking him unconscious and unable to fight.

"When you're striking diagonally, like what you're doing, you're aiming for the enemy's neck. You could kill him by doing that."

"Gomen." Koneko bowed her head, feeling once more the difference between the Kamiya Kasshin and the Hidden Sword. The latter taught her to kill with as few moves as possible, hence the importance for deceit. But the Kamiya Kasshin centers on fairness, the need to protect. It was a more bloodless technique that Koneko didn't think possible. "I will try again."

"Iie," Kaoru gently reclaimed her shinai. "Maybe you should see how the technique works so you will know its purpose better. Yahiko!"

The young student peered out from the dojo. "What?"

"Grab your shinai. I want to show Koneko how to fight with the Kamiya Kasshin."

Yahiko's face brightened as he ran to get his shinai. "Alright! Get ready to be defeated, Busu!"

"What did you call me!" Kaoru burst, her face reddening.

"Busu!"

Kaoru's knuckles grew white as she gripped her shinai tighter. "Out!! Now!!"

Yahiko had barely touched the ground when she charged at him, shinai swinging. Koneko watched as she pummeled him to the ground, attacking in different directions but always aiming for the least fatal areas. Yahiko never had a chance.

"Oro?" a surprised Kenshin rounded the corner, seeing the two battle. "Koneko-dono, what happened de gozaru?"

"He called Kaoru 'busu.'" she replied, still watching the two of them fight. Yahiko seemed to be trained well, as he blocked a number of Kaoru's swings. She winced as Kaoru gave a final blow to Yahiko's head, effectively flattening him on the ground.

"Just for that you can clean the dojo four times today! I want it spotless!" The black-haired instructor huffed and walked to where Koneko stood with Kenshin. "That should teach him."

"Maa maa, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin held his hands up in his peace gesture. "You've been beating him a lot lately."

"He's been calling me names a lot lately!"

"Maa, can't we all just get along?"

"Apparently not." Koneko giggled. "You're all too fiery of temper to let small things slide."

Kenshin turned to face her. "Koneko-dono, your clothes have dried already."

Koneko felt her good mood fade, replaced by cold dread. It was time Kenshin had accompanied her back to her house. And her father will be waiting. "Hai, Kenshin-san."

"Daijoubu desuka?" Kaoru asked concernedly. "Is your leg hurting? You turned pale all of a sudden."

"Iie, Kaoru." Koneko forced a smile. "Daijoubu. I-I need to change to my clothes."

"Hai. You go on to my room and I'll bring it there."

"Arigatou."

Koneko obediently went to Kaoru's room, a sinking feeling in her stomach. She had stayed here long enough; it was time she went back to her father...and to whatever punishment he has in store for her.

She forced herself to calm down. Her father wouldn't disown her. He couldn't. She was the one who did the household chores he didn't always have time to do. And even if he did disown her she could go and live with Chihiro-san, where her fighting skills were needed. And she could ask Kaoru to train her from time to time. Staying at the Kamiya dojo was out of the question. She had already asked a lot of them; it wouldn't be polite of her to ask if she could stay.

Kaoru passed by a few moments later with her clothes. She put them on quickly, pausing once at the sight of the bandage on her leg. She had fought trained members of the Ramnyaku. And in doing so, she had helped the police save a government official - and possibly brought dishonor to her family. Her father would be furious. She took a deep breath and continued dressing, placing her dagger into its hiding place. No matter what her father planned for her, she would have to face it. It was right that she would.

Kenshin and Kaoru were waiting for her outside by the time she finished dressing. She nodded to them wordlessly and began leading them to her house. Perhaps sensing her mood, the other two were quiet as they walked. She would have wanted them to talk, to argue, anything to take her mind off her father. But she kept silent. She didn't think she could speak without trembling.

It seemed almost like an eternity when they finally reached her house. Koneko told the other two to wait outside as she entered the silent hut, feeling her stomach sink even deeper. She peered into the rooms where she knew her father would be, hoping that he wasn't busy practicing or meditating. She went to the backyard when she didn't find him in any of the rooms. But he wasn't there either. Frowning, Koneko thought she'd try her room and turned around. But as she passed by the kitchen, she saw something that made her frown deeper.

The dishes they used last night were still on the table, along with the now spoiled leftovers. She stepped closer to take a look, seeing that it had already attracted insects. It was just as she had left it last night. As if no one had returned to the house until now.

Koneko frantically searched for her father, not finding him in any of the rooms. She went to the front yard. But all she could see were Kenshin and Kaoru's worried faces. She searched through the entire hut one last time before she told them what's wrong.

"My father isn't here!"

"Nani?!" Kaoru's eyes widened.

"Didn't he return from last night?" Kenshin asked.

Koneko shook her head. "The dishes we used last night hasn't been washed. My father would have washed them before they attracted insects."

Kenshin thought for a moment. "Do you know where he might be?"

"Iie. He's usually home by morning."

"Where could he be?" Kaoru asked.

Koneko shook her head again. "I don't know. I don't have any idea where to look for him."

"We'll help look for him de gozaru." Kenshin offered, smiling gently. "In the meantime, you can stay with us."

"Hai," Kaoru agreed. "I wouldn't want you to stay here alone."

"Iie," Koneko replied. "I think I'll stay here. In case my father comes back."

"Are you sure, Koneko?"

"Hai, I'm sure."

Kenshin nodded in understanding. "Come visit us if your father hasn't returned."

"I will. Sayonara."

"Sayonara."

Koneko watched them until she could no longer see them. She was glad of their invitation to stay with them; she had grown to like their company. But she still had to take care of her father. She washed the dishes first, throwing away the spoiled leftovers. Then she brought out a broom to sweep the floors.

The soft creak of a foot stepping on loose flooring warned her of an intruder. Koneko silently put down her broom, slipping her hand to her hidden dagger. There was another creak of a second footfall. She carefully slipped towards the source of the creaks, making sure that her footsteps didn't creak as well. She neared her father's room, seeing the shadow standing in the middle of it.

"Koneko."

Koneko froze at the sound of her father's voice. "O-otosan?"

"You had to come back." her father's voice was disgusted. "You brought dishonor to your family and you had to come back."

"Otosan, I didn't mean to-"

"Quiet." Koneko shut her mouth. "I spoke with the Ranmyaku-gumi. They were willing to forgive your actions last night if you do one thing."

Koneko kept silent, dreading his next words. Her father's conditions were always difficult to achieve, and so were the Ranmyaku's. But she had a duty to do it if it brought honor back to her family.

He flung something to her feet, something long and dark. A sword. Koneko looked up at her father, saw the anger glinting in his eyes.

"With this sword, you are to challenge Battousai - and kill him."