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Hiraru stood in the center of what would normally be a busy street; however, this early in the morning, it was next to dead. The shopkeepers were just staring to open their stores, and Hiraru was studying each carefully. Finally she saw what she was looking for. Stuffing her hands in her pockets she walked up to the grain shop. The owner was a strong-looking older man. He and his round wife were cleaning the front entry. Hiraru carefully stuck her head into the shop, looking around innocently.

"Oh! I'm sorry, my dear," The shop owner's wife said, "We're not open yet."

Hiraru smiled. "I'm not a shopper," she explained. "I was actually wondering if you needed any one to help out around here? Do heavy lifting, make deliveries, that sort of stuff . . ."

The wife looked to her husband. "Well, dear? What do you think?"

The heavyset man, whose arms appeared thicker than Hiraru's waist, crossed his arms and walked forward until he was directly in front her. "How old are you?"

Hiraru smiled again and answered truthfully, "Nineteen."

The man's eyebrows went up, "You don't look it."

Hiraru's smile broadened as she replied, "I get that a lot."

The man looked Hiraru over again before suspiciously asking, "You don't look very strong, how do you expect to carry heavy grain barrels?"

"I have a horse," Hiraru said calmly. "He and I are a great team."

The man didn't seem to trust her. "How much do you want?"

"Enough grain to feed my horse," Hiraru replied. "Also, if my boarding job works out, I'll only be able to work after noon. But I'm a hard worker, so I can get all the deliveries done in an afternoon."

The man continued to look at Hiraru as if he didn't like her, then inquired, "When can you start?"

"This afternoon if you like," Hiraru said with a wide grin.

The man nodded, "Be here after your noon meal."

Hiraru bowed and left, going to finish her other chores. She went to three different lumber suppliers, before she found one that she approved of the wood quality, and a supplier she was able to strike a deal with. In exchange for picking up the wood herself, the woodsman would let only charge her for eighty percent of the normal price, and if she did a few more deliveries, since he was short-handed, she could have it at half the lowered price. Altogether she'd only have to pay forty percent his original asking price; all she had to do once she finished repairing and covering the supporting wood was find a kiln that would sell her cheap, but good, clay tiles to cover the roof again.

If Kaoru-san didn't want to hire Hiraru, she could still get paid by working for both the woodsman and the grain storekeeper. It was mid-morning by the time Hiraru finished her dealing, so she ran across town to the restaurant district. Along the way she wound up stopping several times to help people carrying heavy loads or do other meaningless tasks, passing along the information of where she was working in the afternoons and that she was looking for any job that would give her some spare change. It was noon by the time she made it to the restaurant district and she found an inexpensive vendor. She ended up only being able to pay for onigiri with the last of her sens. Hiraru ran as she ate so she could get back to the dojo quickly. She surprised Yahiko, Kenshin and Kaoru as she flew into the house, picking up Katsu's bridling and running out to tack him with a speed unknown to them before.

"Hiraru-san sure is in a big hurry," Kenshin said from the well as Hiraru tacked Katsu nearby. "What, may I ask, are you rushing to do?"

"I've got a job," Hiraru explained, not looking up from her work. "Katsu and I will be delivering sacks of grain."

Yahiko gave the horse and rider an odd look, but Hiraru didn't see it with her back turned. "Do you know the town well enough to do that?" he asked.

Hiraru checked the saddle's straps as she continued, "I did a lot of running around this morning, so I think I'll be alright. If not, I can always ask someone." She turned her head, looking at Yahiko. "Unless you want to help? I'm sure my boss would be willing to pay you. I'm just getting enough grain to feed Katsu."

"Sorry," Yahiko said in a tone indicating he didn't mean it at all. "I've already got a job."

"Speaking of which . . ." Kenshin smiled at the spiky-haired boy. "Shouldn't you be heading over to the Akabeko?"

"Yeah, yeah," Yahiko whined, "I was just leaving."

"I should be heading out too," Hiraru smiled. "My boss told me to be there after lunch." With that she zoomed out of the courtyard, Katsu following closely.

Yahiko had gotten back from the Akabeko early. Kaoru and Kenshin were still out, most likely shopping. Sano had left early that morning. Yahiko had some down time, for a moment he considered going to work out, but then he remembered Kaoru had ordered him to take down the laundry when he got home, if it wasn't already done. Ugly would kill him if he didn't do as she ordered.

Grudgingly he put the clean clothes into the waiting basket. Afterwards he brought the basket into the house; he had nothing better to do, so he folded everything as well.

With that done he sat in the room for several moments, staring at the clothes. He sighed, then, standing, he separated the clothes and put them in piles. There was one for Kenshin, one for Kaoru, one for him, and one small one for Hiraru. Odd. He took each pile to the appropriate rooms, leaving Hiraru's for last. He put the clothes where Hiraru would see them, and looked around. In the opposite corner of the room, he noticed Hiraru's saddlebags, and the wrapped sword.

Curious, Yahiko tiptoed over to the sword, feeling like Hiraru could come back at any moment and get angry at him for just looking. He carefully picked up the swathed blade. It was heavier than he expected. He'd picked up Kenshin's sword before, a story he didn't want to remember, but this one was much heavier than that. After several seconds of tugging at the wrap he managed to pull it loose.

Finally having a chance to see the entire sheath and sword he noticed the delicate-looking metallic wrap around the hilt. The detail in the pommel looked like a man riding a horse on a country road. The hand guard looked like a woman's head and shoulders wrapped around the hilt; in her hands were prayer beads and her hair wrapped the opposite way of the beads.

Yahiko blushed; it was beautiful. He unsheathed the blade. The folding of the metal was visible on the blade, and the tip was sharpened to a fine point. He weighted both the sword and the sheath in different hands. The sheath was incredibly light, and while the sword was heavy, it was also perfectly balanced. Yahiko rolled the blade in his hand, letting the light from the open door catch it. On the other side of the dull edge he saw the engraving. It was lightly placed but in the perfect hand of an artist.

"To my beloved," Yahiko read slowly. "May you remember your wife and daughter every time you draw this blade…" Yahiko blinked, that name couldn't be . . . "Hiraru?"

"Yahiko?"

The ten-year-old jumped nearly three feet at the sound of Kenshin's voice from the door. "If you're looking for Hiraru, he's still not back yet. What are you doing with his sword?"

Yahiko blushed again, not looking straight at Kenshin. "I just wanted to take another look at the sword. Have you seen this thing? Its beautiful . . ." Yahiko tried to sound like what he'd just done was completely innocent. "I was wondering . . . is Hiraru a girl's or boy's name?"

Kenshin shook his head, stepping into the room. He crossed it, easily, took the sword from Yahiko and re-sheathed it, saying, "Hiraru is a unisexual name, meaning 'light' or 'shining.' It's often used for girls or boys." Kenshin once more wrapped the sword and put it back where it had beenl "Now don't you think it's wrong to be going through others' things?"

Yahiko blushed again, nodding.

"Alright, this one won't tell Hiraru if you promise not to come in here without his permission again," Kenshin smiled as the two of them left.

OH!!!!!! Yahiko was in Hiraru's room… and going through her stuff…. I think that's grounds for her beating the crap out of him. I guess you'll just have to wait until the next chapter to find you… (I'm not telling you swat… Until next chapter, anyway)

Yeah, I know this chapter was kinda weak… It gets better soon… I promise.

Anyway… Friendly reminder… the more you review the harder I work to put up a new chapter… I mean in the past week I've gotten loads from you guys and I've written at least two chapters… I just need my editor to finish being a Grammar Nazi over it… (I like that term… Grammar Nazi… Syldoran-chan came up with it not me… Don't hate me.)

REVIEW!!!! AND I'LL POST!!!!!!!!!!