I don't own this anime I wrote the story, but credit has to go to my friend Dark Guardian24, who typed it up Thanks A LOT!

After her fight with Kenshin, Kazumi had wondered off while the leaders questioned the men she had fought.

Fires were burning in the campfire pits. Men gathered around to voice their versions of the events. Each version was very much the same.

Kazumi kept to the shadows as she wandered. The shadows kept her ten-year-old form from even the brightest blaze. 'Good' she thought. 'If I'm not found I can think.'

She wandered about half an hour thinking about everything Kenshin ad said to her that day. Finally making up her mind to summon the courage to ask. Kazu now began wandering in search of Kenshin, wandering into every fireside to scan each crowd. Each time, she carefully stayed out of the warm orange glow.

Each fireside did not yield Kenshin and she had been to mostly every one. At one of the few left, she paused, without even noticing that she was on a well-used path. A man came down the path behind her and to her, he had obviously had a bit too much to drink.

Spotting Kazu, he smiled. "Hey, little lady, isn't it past your bed time?" The joke held no humour. He really meant it. The sake had definitely gone to his head if he didn't recognize Kazu.

"What's your name little lady," the man continued as he took a step forward. She could just barely make out his eyes squinting down the path.

It was then she realized that he was asking because he could barely see her, and not because he was drunk. "I'm Kakora Kazumi," she replied. "Who're you?"

"Loro. Tikoru Loro. Wait, did you say Kakora Kazumi?" the man took a little step closer. "It is you. Sorry for not recognizing you but it's a little dark. Come with me. We have a good fire and besides, everyone's dying to hear your part."

"Umm… but I," but before Kazumi could give him a really answer; Loro was pushing her lightly towards the orange glow. Musing to herself she thought, 'He's kind of strong. Better not to risk a fight. I'll just go with him and whisk away later.'

Entering the warm glow, Kazumi noticed that the quiet chatter had stopped. Everyone was looking at her. Some in awe, some in worry but thanks to Loro, Kazu was saved having to speak at the moment. "I found Kazumi-sama on the path and thought I'd r bring her here to tell her story. What do ya think boys?"

The initial shock had finished washing over the group of men. Now everyone was rushing everywhere trying to provide Kazu and Loro with the best seats, food and drinks. Kazumi, used to being ignored, found this attention quite unnerving.

It wasn't until one man asked her if she was too warm that she realized she had been blushing.

After a few minutes of small talk, each man asked requests for her story of the fights. She began the story of the first fight with Kenshin, and then moved on to the Kakosai challenge. Midway through the latter, the men began asking questions. Loro once again saved her. "Wait 'til she's done. You'll get her mind in a twist."

Kazumi felt a rush of gratitude towards the man but managed not to blush and continued her story.

Near the end of her second story another shadow sat behind one of the men. Kazumi only took that presence to be another man coming to hear so she continued to concentrate on not faltering on her story. She never thought he'd be someone she was dying to talk to.

Kenshin and her last fight was the shortest of the three stories but it seemed that everyone had questions. By going around the circle asking each man, Kazu was guaranteed not to have the same question twice.

"How fast were you?" one asked.

"What technique did you use?" another said.

"Did you only punch him?" another queried.

The only question no one wasn't ready for was the one offered by that sneaky shadow. Kenshin's voice drew forth a stunned silence as he asked. "I told you to use your full power. You did not. That was barely more then our first fight. Why didn't you listen?"

Kazu felt the colour drain from her face. Her mouth became very dry and soundlessly, she began spouting words. Every face was turned in shock. She didn't use her full power?

"Why?" Kenshin repeated.

(yeah, i guess it was way shorter than the first one... i just ran out of ideas.)

R&R