Megumi joined Kenshin at the front gates of the Inn, greeting him with a soft smile. She had felt quite cheerful, and had put on a long and bright yellow kimono covered in pink cherry blossoms to match the beautiful and bright sunshine that filtered down from above. Megumi was pleased to see Kenshin smile and take a moment to look at her and her outfit. His interest and his smile made her feel beautiful because she acknowledged her as a woman. She had dressed up just for him, combed her hair meticulously and applied just a hint of makeup to make her lips a pale red. She walked with her usual air of grace, poised and sophisticated, and she knew it caught Kenshin's attention, which made her heart flutter. She knew that Kenshin also saw to her inner beauty, and she appreciated that ability. He treated her like a woman, always respectful and kind, trusting in her intelligence and abilities. Most importantly he believed in her, and in her ability as a doctor.

"You look very nice today, Megumi-san" Kenshin said

"Thank you, Kenshin-kun. I am glad you noticed. I do my best" Megumi replied

Megumi felt her heart would beat out of her chest. Somehow Kenshin's compliment had a profound effect on her, and she wasn't sure why. Quite a few men, and even a few women, had complimented Megumi when she walked down the street, but for some reason it meant far more to hear it from Kenshin. She smiled sweetly to him, trying not to let on how she felt, but she slide her hand in his and squeezed, had a little extra stride in each of her steps, and she brushed against Kenshin softly now and again as they walked together, all unconscious signs of her happiness. Megumi was having a wonderful day, and it had just begun it seemed. Soon enough, Megumi felt a soft caress on her rear, and felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She giggled at Kenshin and let the caressing continue as she cooed happily

"Oh Sir Ken, how bold of you!"

Kenshin looked to her, blinking as he scratched his nose

"Oro?"

Megumi lifted her hand, and it was tightly held by Kenshin's , and his other hand was scratching his nose. Megumi gasped, as Kenshin obviously wasn't caressing her behind as she had thought. She let Kenshin's hand go, turning around quickly, only to find a young puppy sniffing at her. Megumi's blush deepened as she figured out that the pup had been sniffing her behind, and the bold pup nuzzled under her kimono, sniffing between her legs. Megumi screamed and clung to Kenshin, almost tripping over herself to get away from the naughty pup, shooing it away, her face bright red with embarrassment, Kenshin being clung to and flailing back and forth in Megumi's embrace, looking dizzy, dazed and confused. The pup looked at Megumi with the same dazed and confused look as Kenshin, and lowered its head to sniff at Kenshin's feet. Megumi leaped behind Kenshin and held onto the back of his shoulders

"T..That dog sniffed my… my…" she stuttered.

Kenshin bit back a laugh and bent down to pet the pup, who eagerly lapped at Kenshin's hand and jumped into it ,eager to be petted. Kenshin did his best not to laugh as he pet the feisty pup.

"He was simply curious, Megumi-san. Dogs use their noses like we use our eyes. He was just getting to know you…"

Megumi looked upset, but she did her best to calm down. The young pup's fur was a chestnut brown, it had a long tail that never seemed to stop wagging, and Megumi couldn't figure out what breed of dog it was. Megumi figured it was a mutt, and yet it had no tags, and seemed a little thin. If it hadn't been sniffing her butt, she might have felt sorry for it. She tugged Kenshin along with a huff. Kenshin stood and followed, and the young pup feel in line behind Kenshin.

"It seems we have someone to keep us company on our journey to Tsukishiro, that it does."

Megumi shook her head

"Oh no, I can't take care of a dog! They are filthy, flea-bitten, dirty little things and…"

Megumi wavered as the pup looked at her sadly, as if it know what she was saying, its soft little puppy eyes so wide and lonely as it whimpered. She waved a finger at it, and shook her head, but her lip quivered ever so slightly

"and I can't afford to feed him, nor does any Inn allow us to keep a pet. So he will just have to fend for himself…"

"Out here on the cold streets all alone with no food, water or shelter?" Kenshin asked

"W…well… " Megumi bit her lip

"And no love? Can anyone, man or beast, live without love? Can you live without love, Megumi-san?" Kenshin asked

Megumi blushed faintly at Kenshin's words, having to stop herself from saying aloud 'Not without your love, Kenshin'. The pup barked as Kenshin looked to her with his kind blue eyes, and she looked away from them both with a huff.

" Well, I guess I have no right to tell you that you can't have a dog if you really want one, Kenshin-kun. Just remember, the dog is YOURS and I will have no part of it, as it is your responsibility…"

Megumi started walking again with her back to them both, trying to hide the faint smile on her lips. She didn't have to turn around to know Kenshin was smiling.

"I think I'll name him… Shirafune"

"White Sword…" Megumi commented

Megumi stayed passive as Shirafune jumped, barked and ran circles around her legs, playing with her and Kenshin. As the day wore on, they came upon a small and quaint roadside restaurant, so they sat down to eat their dinner. Megumi ordered a large pan of steamed dumplings, and seemed to enjoy them as she ate.

"These streamed dumplings are delicious! So tender and moist!"

Megumi picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks, and it slide right off and would have fallen onto the ground if Shirafune hadn't leapt for it in a blur.

"Oh my, it slipped right off my chopsticks!" she said, sounding a little unusual

Megumi took another dumpling, almost getting it to her mouth before it slid from her grasp and would have hit the floor if Shirafune wasn't there to devour it. She pouted and tried again, the next dumpling barely making it off the table before it fell and was caught by Shirafune.

"My my, these dumplings are so slippery!" Megumi commented, sounding a little unusual again

"Indeed! You are quite skilled with chopsticks, Megumi-san. I have seen you pick individual grains of rice with them, so they must be very slippery" Kenshin said with a knowing smile

Megumi struggled with the rest of the dumplings, all of them somehow never quite making it to her mouth and all of them being eaten by Shirafune. Strangely, when Shirafune looked full and left Megumi's side, she had no further trouble and easily ate the rest of the dumplings, a few times not even having to look at her plate as she ate. By the time dinner was finished, Megumi, Kenshin and Shirafune only had a short walk to an Inn before it was time to go to sleep.

"You are going to have to tie up Shirafune outside Kenshin-kun."

"Outside? But Megumi-san…." Kenshin pouted, as did Shirafune, and they both looked similar enough to cause Megumi to smile.

"I am sorry, Kenshin-kun, but the Inn…." Megumi began

"Oh what a cute dog!" a heavy-set man said as he ran out of the inn to pet Shirafune

"This little guy can stay at my Inn anytime he wants!" the innkeeper said

Megumi bit her lip and was silent as she went upstairs with Kenshin and Shirafune. She changed for bed, and just as she snuggled up to Kenshin, Shirafune crawled up and tried to force his way between them.

"Uh-uh! No dogs allowed in bed!" Megumi said

Kenshin nodded to Shirafune, who slid off the bed with a loud PLOP! and laid down at the foot of the bed. Megumi happily snuggled up to Kenshin, and as he started to fall asleep, she gently pet Shirafune with her feet.

"No sniffing my butt and we will get along just fine" she said to Shirafune.

Megumi wrinkled her nose as Shirafune's tail wagged in his sleep at her words