(Btw, just in case you don't know, Kenshin, Yahiko, Sanosuke, Megumi, and Kaoru are from Rurouni Kenshin.)

Chapter 8

Megumi was mixing herbs and various liquids together in a test tube trying to make medicine for Mark while standing in one of the circus' tents by a table. She had asked Relena to go get some milk to go with the potion.

In time, she successfully returned with a full, fresh bottle of it. "Here you go Megumi" Relena said handing it over to her. "Thank you." She took the bottle and poured it in the test tube. "Do you have a moment?" she asked Relena, who had already started walking away. "Uhm, sure. What is it?" she answered. "I'm sorry for joking the way I did earlier" explained. "Yes, I know that. Will that be all?" "No. I was also hoping that we could have a little 'girl' talk. Would that be alright?" Megumi said asking another question. "Alright. What is the matter?" Relena asked curiously. Megumi took a sigh before speaking. "You know there is man that catches my fancy. His name is Sanosuke." At the mention of Sano, Relena thought of the man who had acted immaturely with Heero yesterday. "I know that he's a jerk sometimes, but he does have a strong sense of character and justice" Megumi continued. "but he never really seems to notice me. And by that, I mean have no interest in me. So for Duo to actually do something for you, well it just made me think you were lucky." At that last sentence, Megumi turned her face from her concoction to look at Relena. "I'm sorry to hear that" she said honestly. But Relena wasn't someone who often listened to lovelorn people's stories and give advice to them. First of all, she wouldn't be able to give any because it would be forbidden for her to have an intimate relationship with anyone, so how could she know anything about it? Relena put a hand on Megumi's shoulder hoping that it would help soothe her. However, in response, she looked back at Relena comically and questioningly. "Uh thanks Relena, but I'm ok. I don't have a bleeding heart" she said smiling.

"There, you see? Everything will be better" Megumi explained confidently leaning down to smoothly pat Mark. Mark was now resting peacefully on the grassy ground on his stomach like a normal cat would and his with his head leaning on his front legs. She had used her serviceable knowledge on medicine to help the lion using only everyday home staples. "Just make sure he takes his medicine twice a day, one in the morning and one at night" she added further to the girl and boy. "Thank you Miss Megumi. We owe you very much. By the way, my name is Catherine Bloom and this is my friend Trowa Barton. What are your names?" "My name is Takani Megumi. Pleased to make your acqaintance" Megumi said. "Hello. I'm Kamiya Kaoru" said Kaoru. "And my name is Relena Darlian. A pleasure" said Relena finishing the introductions. Catherine was a girl in her late teens with cinnamon red/brown hair that was in a style in which her hair reached her neck and was curled at the end. She had an eye color that was between gray and blue and was dressed in her westerner's clothes as was Trowa right now. His was a black turtleneck with a pair of trousers. "Will it be alright to just him sleep on the ground like that? Won't it be dangerous?" Kaoru asked. "Oh don't worry about Mark. He's harmless once he gets to know you" Catherine explained.

"Say, do you by any chance just happen to know any exciting events taking place today? Right now, Trowa and I have the rest of today off" Catherine said. It would be a shame to not do anything on such a special day. "There's going to be a special event at the temple. A monk personally invited us over to go see. Would you like to come with us?" Kaoru offered them. "Sure. Do you know what's going to take place over there?" "That famous temple dance for Obon will be performed today. It'll be a treat to see" Megumi explained. "Cool" the circus girl said. "So Trowa, would you like to come with us?" she asked. From what the three girls could see, he wasn't someone who spoke that much. After a long moment, the boy finally answered. "Might as well" he said. "We would love to take you with us, but before we go we have some friends to meet up with" Relena pointed out. "That's alright" Catherine said not minding at all. "we can wait a little bit."

Heero, Duo, and their new companion Shuibao were enjoying themselves playing games at the carnival in Osaka Central Park. Or rather more accurately, Duo and his new companion Shuibao were enjoying themselves playing games at the carnival in Osaka Central Park. Heero just simply stood by in the background acting nonchalantly, but annoyed waiting for Duo and his new friend to finish up goofing around.

A/N: The name Shuibao (SHWEE-BOW) should mean "Water Jewel." 水, shui (water)宝, bao (jewel, gem) Is there an error here at all if I may ask?

They were now playing with bows and arrows trying to hit targets from a stand. And it cost money to play too, but luckily, the price was relatively cheap. However, when added all together… "Hey Hee-chan, can we each have another yen to play basketball hoops?" Duo asked after he and Shuibao finished with their bows at a booth. In response to Duo's very intimate form of addressing him, Heero gave a silent death glare that hit like a whip. "Whoa, whoa ok, chill out… just asking for some money" Duo said chuckling nervously as he was hit by the look and stepped back with his hands in front of him as a defense. Shuibao moved up to him. "Duo, I think your friend has been kind enough for giving you money for that vase and the several other games we have played here. Perhaps we should go now like Heero wants to" she said quietly to him. He nodded back to her. While en route to that dragon fountain from earlier, Duo spotted the carnival and dragged them along with him. Duo and Shuibao managed to enjoy themselves, but Heero, well it was obvious if he did or not.

After leaving the carnival, the three were back on the streets en route to the fountain. Throughout the whole walk so far, Heero had remained silent, not saying a single word to neither of his companions. Shuibao, who had noticed this decided to talk to him. "Uhm…Heero, thank you for what you have done" she said looking at Heero from behind. Not turning around and still walking on, he replied back to her. "Don't thank me. Thank him" he said to her using the pronoun to refer to Duo. 'Well that was rude' Shuibao thought. Still not ready to give up she continued. "Heero, I know we just met, but if there's anything you would like to talk to me about, you can talk to me if you'd like. Talking about it with a friend can help as I did with Duo" she explained. 'That word friend again' Heero thought. It must be a popular noun in society. 'If only I had been a part of one…' "I'll remember you said that and thank you very much" was all said. 'Just what is his problem anyway?' Shuibao thought as she wondered about his secretiveness.

"Sure, we'd be happy to take you along with us" Kenshin said to Rashid accepting the offer. "My name is Himura Kenshin, these are my friends Myojin Yahiko, and Sagara Sanosuke" he said introducing them to Quatre and Rashid. "A pleasure to meet you" said Rashid. "Nice to meet you" Quatre said.

The five began their stroll through the streets together after leaving the tent and chatted with each other neighborly. Rashid and Quatre had explained that they were from a land quite far from Japan during their conversation. They called their homeland Morocco, which was on another continent called Africa. They also noted that they were impressed with Japan's ability to stay an independent country despite foreign presence, so unlike their own where it was run by the French, foreigners from another continent named Europe. They also said they traveled through a desert called the Sahara from the Moroccan city of Casablanca, then made a stop in Cairo, Egypt, a British Colony. They set sail from there to the Red Sea along the Arabian Peninsula while on the Arabian Sea, and after that, they disembarked at Karachi, a port-city in British India. Next, they sailed down south to Colombo, Ceylon an island colony and it too was under British rule in the Indian Ocean. Then they continued on sailing to yet another British Colony, a small island city named Singapore. Then they sailed up north to Bangkok, the capital of a kingdom called Siam. It was the only place where they stopped other than Japan and China that was an independent country said they. Then after that, they stopped at one more British Colony, an island off the coast of southern China called Hong Kong. They took a boat and sailed up to Shanghai from the South China Sea. From there, they sailed through the East China Sea and finally to Japan. They finished their story saying that it took about six and a half months to travel all that distance. When Kenshin asked why they would travel all that distance just to get to Japan, Rashid told them that it was for 'freedom'.

Finally, the five reached their destination at the dragon fountain in front of the three pagodas behind it and saw that the others had already made it and were waiting for them. By the time they got there, the sun was already beginning to set, making the sky shine a slight golden orange. There were other people with them too they noticed, just as Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko had brought with them the two fakirs. They were all talking with each other.

"Hey! It looks like you brought some friends over too" Duo said to ones just coming over. He was standing near a girl they haven't yet met and she later introduced herself as Shuibao. And now Duo was wearing a black kimono. Everyone said hello to each other and introduced themselves and then they were on their way to the temple. Megumi and Kaoru, since they lived in Osaka, led the way.

While walking, Heero thought about if it would be a good idea to ask Relena now about their friendship. But the fact that there were other people made him feel a bit nervous so he hesitated. "So there's something you wanna ask huh?" Duo asked softly to him as he walked with Heero. Heero didn't reply back. "I still think you do y'know" continued Duo not at all annoyed by his rudeness. "and I can see it your eyes." He just continued walking ignoring him. "So Heero buddy, if you ever have a problem, even with the ladies, just ask your friendly, neighborly, resident Duo ok?" the braided young man still continued. Heero still continued to ignore Duo's words while they he walked. 'Alright Heero, be like that. But sooner or later you'll be ringing at my doorstep for some help' Duo thought as he grinned.

After at least a half hour of walking, the group finally reached it. The great temple was surrounded by a gray brick wall and had an open steel gate in front of the façade and was composed of a few buildings and pagodas with a very big one in the center. Its exterior was breathtakingly majestic- a white stone path way from the gate to the front door under a floor equally white, a front entrance with two fully colored and detailed serpent dragon statues on the floor for protection from evil spirits, and a three-dimensional triangular rooftop with each of the six sides curved and shaped into a little dragon.

Above the main entrance, was a sign on the wall that read: 'Happy Obon! Welcome to the Vajrapadma Temple!'

My translation for Vajrapadma by the way is 'diamond lotus', which is a word I have created using the Sanskrit words Vajra(diamond) and padma(lotus, more specifically the pink lotus, which is the supreme one out of all the others). I thought this would sound good because Mahayana Buddhism is practiced from Tibet to Japan and its sacred language is Sanskrit. Also, a lotus is an auspicious Buddhist symbol. I wasn't able to find a general Sanskrit word for lotus, so I chose padma because I thought it sounded better than the other words when cobined with Vajra. Does anyone know a better word or translation?.

Please read and review everyone!