Robin watched as Katsushiro and Kirara approached various samurai, and was not disheartened by their failure, as most others would have been.

Kirara snapped at her,"You said you could be useful. Why aren't you helping?"

"Do you want me to play the pity card? I can look pathetic and get samurai to join your cause because they'll feel worse for me rather than checking you out as if you're a whore," Robin replied calmly.

(Bakery had since woken up, and looked at the screen where Robin was and heard her last comment and grinned. "Owned!")

Kirara sputtered, but Robin noticed that Katsushiro felt uneasy.

"What's wrong?" Robin asked,knowing full well what the answer would be.

"I felt like someone was watching us..."

Robin just smiled faintly as Kirara continued to glare at Robin.

"We're not going to find any more samurai today,I think. let's go back to the others."

Kirara nodded in agreement with Katsushiro's suggestion and started walking briskly with him, Robin following.

katsushiro and kirara saw Kanbei and ran down the steps to meet him, Robin in their wake. Kanbei spared Robin nothing more than a curious glance as he listened to Katsushiro tell him that they had found no samurai. Kanbei felt otherwise.

"No, one found you. Are you a samurai?" he asked over Katsushiro's shoulder.

A silent blonde in a red trenchcoat stepped out from behind where he had been hiding and Robin just -barely- managed to keep from squealing. Or even from reacting overtly. She didn't want to ruin the fight. No way in hell she'd do that.

"I was followed?" Katsushiro asked dumbly and Kanbei replied wryly,

"So it would seem."

Kyuuzou jumped down from where he had been standing and looked at Kanbei evenly.

Robin clamped her hands tightly over her mouth so she wouldn't ruin anything and it would also keep her hands busy.

Katsushiro took her actions as one of fear and so felt compelled to protect her as well as Kirara.

(Bakery looked at Katsushiro skeptically. "Don't tell me you're falling for her TOO?")

Kyuuzou and Kanbei began to warily circle each other.

"I am Shimada Kanbei. You are...?"

"Kyuuzou."

with her mouth occupied, no one heard her happy sigh.

The two stopped circling each other and Kyuuzou drew his swords.

"Draw."

Katsushiro's hand went to his sword, and Kanbei's hands found the way to his sword's hilt as well, becoming serious.

"Go."

Kyuuzou charged and was surprised at how Kanbei was able to defend himself against both his strikes.

Robin, Katsushiro, and Kirara watched the battle unfold with wide eyes.

'It's even better in person!' Robin thought to herself as she watched, absorbing every detail. Her body was quivering in an effort to keep her fangirl impulses from controlling her actions and when Kyuuzou and Kanbei were at a draw, both of their swords against the other's neck, Robin became pale as she held her breath to keep from saying anything. But when he said the quote she had been waiting to hear...

"I'm in love..." Kanbei began and Kyuuzou balked; it was enough of a reaction to allow Kanbei to break the stalemate, each other moving away before he finished, "...with your skills!"

Robin had a bad case of the hiccups from holding in her laughter.

(Bakery snickered at her friend's state. "Poor Robin can't glomp either of them. Or act as if she knows what's going to happen...yet.")

The battle continued nonetheless until it was once again held up in a stalemate, Kanbei preventing Kyuuzou from being able to move his swords.

"I can't beat you. But before you kill me, there is something I must finish. So we'll have to put off this duel until after the battle with the Nobuseri."

Robin noted gleefully the way Kanbei removed his hands from Kyuuzou's wrists, as if caressing them, and her hiccups became slightly worse.

"Either that or cut me down here."

The tension in the air was palpable, but Robin was already looking a little downcast. She knew Kikuchyo would be here any minute...

...and there the big lummox was, charging down to try and save Kanbei.

she watched in admiration as Kyuuzou easily deflected the blow, and Kanbei saved Kikuchyo from what would have been demise at Kyuuzou's hands. Once the mechanical samurai was buried under steel rods, Kyuuzou looked at Kanbei again,weighing him. Robin was slightly envious of the easy skill Kyuuzou showed at how he simply flipped up his sword and caught it smoothly before sheathing it.

"The mood is gone."

Robin choked down a squee.

They all watched in awe as the crimson warrior left, and Robin was happy to note the way Kanbei watched him leave.

"I want him."

Robin coughed to hide what would have been laughter, and blamed it on the dust that had been kicked up by the battle and Kikuchyo when Katsushiro asked if she was okay.

As the others turned to talk to each other, Robin fought away the hiccups and sighed happily once they were gone.

'I can't believe my luck! I got here at the right time...'

"What has you looking so happy? Kanbei-sama was nearly killed!"

Robin looked at her evenly. "Why do you have a crush on him if he's just told everyone he wants another man?"

Kirara balked and Robin smiled sweetly.