Rain came along with the night, which brought a thunder-storm soon after. There were three people in Hiko's cottage, Ryumiko, himself and a mid-wife. Ryumiko's child will finally be born, after nine months of pregnancy.

Reiji, Hijikata, Kondou, Saito and Okita rushed to the mountain, and heard the first cries of the child. Reiji was so excited that he crashed the door open, and hoped that his daughter and grandchild would be safe and sound.

"Congratulations miss" the mid-wife said, "You have a beautiful baby daughter" She left after receiving payment from Reiji.

Everyone there was overjoyed, Reiji most of all. "Ryumi-chan let me see my granddaughter" he said when he sat at Ryumiko's side. She gave the baby to him gladly, which he cradled with the affection only a grand-father could possess.

"Otou-sama, do you like her?" she asked weakly, "Is she fit to be a warrior of the Shinsen-Gumi?"

"We will not discuss her future at the moment when she is born, Ryumi-chan" Reiji said, "Do you have a name for her?"

"Miryu" Hiko said promptly. "She is to be named Tsubasa Miryu"

"Why take the name of the wretched scum's family?" Okita asked Ryumiko, who cringed at the very mention of Akurou.

"If Ryumiko uses the surname "Hiko" her honor would be destroyed, as she was not yet legally divorced by Akurou when she escaped from Akurou's abuse, one month pregnant" Saito denounced, with his Sherlock Holmes-like skills of deductions. "She must retain the name of Miryu's father, no matter how much she hates him"

"Once again, Oni-san, you are correct" Ryumiko said, regaining some of her strength, "It will make my story more believable, which will include my divorce with Akurou after the death of his father, who was killed by 'unknown assassins'"

"It was a good thing that all the Tsubasa spies were are killed by the three of you" Hijikata said, referring to Hiko, Okita and Saito. "Or else, we'll be caught hook line and sinker"

"I'm sorry for doubting all of you" Kondou said, softly, his words inaudible.

"That's nothing, Wolf of Mibu" Hiko said, "The important thing is that we are now safe and sound, along with little Miryu here"

"Hiko-dono is right" Reiji, still carrying Miryu, said, "Tonight; we will rejoice and drink till our hearts content!" Then, turning to Ryumiko, whilst giving her a few springs of ginseng from China, he said, "This is for you, and don't even try to think about Sake any time within the forty-ninth day of Miryu's birth"

"Hai, Otou-sama" Ryumiko said, carried Miryu to her cradle, made by a friend of Reiji's when the news of her pregnancy was spread two days after Akarou's funeral.

There was much joy in the little cottage, where the nearest and dearest of Ryumiko celebrated the birth of Miryu. No one knew that Akurou, soaked and overcome with rage was making his way to the mountain with his ten brothers, every one of them armed and dangerous. They had found out about Akarou's death, and wanted to wreak revenge on those who killed him. Their first suspect was Ryumiko, whom they wanted to taste the pain of torture worse than those of Hell's.

It was Hiko who first sensed the maleficent Ki that was wildly abroad, walking closer to the entrance of the cottage; he heard a familiar voice which said,

"I'm going to rip you into pieces and burn your lover alive, you whore! Come out and meet me if you dare!"

Review Replies: 1) nissepisse: Hmm… putting Hiko against Kenshin seems like a big hurt to the original story to me… No offense though. I was thinking that the clash between the Shinsen-Gumi and Kenshin, who supports the Ishin-Ishishi made Hiko become the anti-social jerk that we all know he is…

2) cauliflower: Well, if your read the earlier chapter's you'll know that Ryumiko passed her position to Okita. By the way, have you reviewed this story before? Sorry to have removed your review…

3) Patience Halliwell: Nah, only the spies, which is a major-league GOOD thing. The clash between Ryumiko and a "major leader" of the Tsubasa clan will be coming up next chapter…

Once again, thank you for reading and reviewing this lowly fic… Thank you de gozaru yo!