Disclaimer: I am the only exception to owning Rurouni Kenshin, but till this day, I haven't received any confirmation to partially owning Ruroken, so, I temporarily do not own Rurouni Kenshin. hehe

A/N: Sorry, guys, I know it took forever to update, but I haven't forgotten about my stories. It's just that school got in the way, and... well, 8th grade is a busy year, so, please forgive me. Gomen! Enjoy!


Later, Tsubame and the others arrived at the train station.

"Will you be okay going by yourself?" Kaoru asked Tsubame.

Tsubame nodded her head in silence.

"Well, here's your ticket. I would like to come with you, but there are so many things going on at the dojo."

"What are you talking about?" Sano asked, curiously.

"It means, Sanosuke, you'll be working for your own food! And MONEY!"

Kaoru glared at Sanosuke, and turned to face Tsubame.

"If you could, bring Yahiko back safely."

Tsubame smiled and borded the train. She was well on her way to where Yahiko would be. Tsubame looked out the window, enjoying the new atmosphere that would surround her when she would see Yahiko once again. Soon enough, the train came to a stop. Tsubame stepped out of the train, where she could see people passing by in a rush, beggars asking for money, and little children gazing at sweet treats that sat before them in a display at a store.

Tsubame walked down the busy street looking for the biggest house that was visible to her eyes. She soon found that place near a massive group of rich, green trees. Then, Tsubame saw the door open, and two figures walked out.
One was holding a shinai and had spiky hair, and the other with tamed hair; Tsubame realized it was Yahiko and Yutaro.

She quickly ran into a nearby store, and watched Yahiko and Yutaro pass by, holding her breathe. /Why am I so scared/ Tsubame asked herself. /It's only Yahiko.../. As soon as they were out of her sight, she exhaled and reality hit her. Tsubame found herself surrounded by displays of fancy hats and colorful ribbons. Then, she got an idea. She took out all the money she had, grabbed a ribbon, and quickly payed for it.

As she walked out the door, Tsubame tied her hair up into a small ponytail, and tied the ribbon around her head (like a bandana ). She spotted a pond nearby, and looked at her reflection to see if she could recognize herself.
When she was satisfied, she made her way toward the direction Yahiko and Yutaro were heading. She walked as fast as her legs could move.

Yahiko and Yutaro were passing by a restaurant, when Yahiko stopped to smell something that was delightful to his appetite. "Mmm. Smells like home food." He followed the scent, and found himself in front of a place that reminded him of the Akabeko back in Japan. Then, an image of Tsubame flickered in his mind.

"Hey, Yahiko! Haven't you had enough food?" Yutaro shouted. "Wait a sec, are you trying to rob me of my money?"

"Oh, shutup," Yahiko muttered to himself. He turned around, and bumped into a figure with a tiny ponytail and a ribbon tied around her head.

"I'm so sorry, I-," The figure looked up into Yahiko's eyes.

"No, it's my fault. Excuse me."

"But, Yahiko-k-," Tsubame quickly covered her mouth, stopping the words that were about to come out of her mouth.

Yahiko looked at her in a bit of shock, and asked her, "Wh-who are you?"

"Tsu... Tsu-me, yes, Tsume! I'm a friend of Tsubame's. She's told me so much about you."

"... Really, so, uh, how is she?"

Tsubame paused, and looked down with a smile. "She's doing just fine."


A/N: What a long time it's been! whew Please R&R! I can't say it's the best chapter, but, hopefully, it's bound to get better!