Alright I know you've all been on the edge of your seats to see what happens next, so here it is. Make sure you thank iheartkenji for getting me off my ass and posting this chapter. Also I'm trying to get this story posted within twenty chapters, so since this is chapter nine, we're trying to make the end come by a little faster…

Any way, Thank you Syldoran-chan, for acting as my editor for this FF. I also what to thank everyone for reviewing, and if you haven't, I know where you live and I will be visiting you tonight to watch you as you sleep, and move things around in your room… (Ruroni your being really creepy…J.O.) Really? (Yeah… J.O.) Then maybe people will remember to review…. (………………………. Um okay…. Just do the disclaimer… J.O.)

Right I haven't done that in a while… I don't own anyone but Hiraru and her family and even they are based on real people.

Remember, Read, Review, and Enjoy.

Three months passed with little incident. Hiraru took up another job with a local blacksmith, helping him in any way possible to pay for the nails she used on the house. Three afternoons out of the week she could be seen trotting next to Katsu to deliver grain from the grain salesman. Three more she'd be transporting logs or lumber for the lumber yard, Katsu being the best plow horse the woodsmen ever saw. The last day, what should have been a day of rest, she was working for the blacksmith again, chopping wood, sweeping the hut, or running errands for him. Each of her employers assumed she was a young man trying to make ends meet, and she never corrected them.

Her bruises cleared up after a week and a half, and everyone, except Kenshin, assumed that Hiraru was a pretty man (not unlike Kenshin).

Hiraru managed to form a loose friendship with Kaoru and Kenshin; Yahiko and she were typically on edge after that second night, and she seemed to be forming a closer relationship with Sano, though the birdhead treated her just like anyone else who used to be his enemy (Meaning becoming good friends).

The roof rapidly progressed under Hiraru's surprisingly skilled eye (pending her material supply). She was working on it in sections, completing a section a month, so it was half done by the end of the third. Kenshin and the others often noticed how the young carpenter seemed to have an odd supply of abilities; she could be stealthy, notice things the others didn't, she could carve, enjoyed children of almost any age, and seemed to be able to spout good advice whenever asked. She was a good horseman, a decent hand-to-hand fighter as Sano found out early, could sew, weave, and cook. She feared little, but seemed easy to temper when her family became the topic of discussion, and had an amazing knowledge of how a shrine was cared for, and even more surprisingly, how a military unit was run.

It was on a sunny day in early fall that the grain-keeper closed shop early, and her other bosses didn't need her for anything, that Hiraru found her self heading back to the dojo, Katsu right behind, following like a puppy. Mid-afternoon on that day meant that Yahiko would be practicing in the backyard, Kaoru would be watching as she played with the two young girls that often came over (Hiraru never met their grandfather), Kenshin would probably be washing clothes, and more likely than not Sano would be over hoping for a free meal.

Sure enough, when Hiraru lead Katsu around back, that was what everyone was doing. She untacked Katsu in the corner of the backyard closest to her room, took the tack to her room, and then joined Sano on the porch, watching Yahiko practice. For several minutes, Hiraru watched Yahiko stumble threw an attack sequence, as she snacked on an apple she'd bought in town. Katsu was playing the part of jungle gym for the girls and Kaoru had gone inside at some point, apparently to do some chores.

Suddenly Hiraru sighed, and stood up. Dusting off her pants, she made a beeline for Yahiko, an annoyed expression on her face. Yahiko didn't see Hiraru step into his line of attack until it was too late for him to stop the attack. Sano called out to the two as wood met flesh, and Kenshin and Kaoru came running.

Hiraru was fine; she stood with the tip of Yahiko's shinai in one hand and her other hand under Yahiko's chin in a flat-palmed way that barely touched the exposed skin of Yahiko's neck. It was a slashing attack that would have taken off Yahiko's head, if she'd wished. "You're not holding your arms correctly," Hiraru said in an even voice, as she released the shinai. "With that attack you need to keep your elbows in."

She paused, taking several backwards steps. "Try it again, this time attack me."

Yahiko stared in shock, flatly saying, "You don't have any weapons."

Hiraru smirked in a way that would easily anger the ten year old, "With the way you're flailing about, I won't need any."

Yahiko glared, but still hesitated. "I don't think its right for me to attack you, even if you are good with your hands."

Hiraru snorted, an amused smile on her face. For a moment Sano had a strong sense of déjà vu. He didn't know why, but he thought he knew Hiraru from another time.

"Yahiko, I told you to attack me, that means I've given you permission," Hiraru explained. Yahiko still hesitated and Hiraru's face made a sudden and extreme shift. She looked like Sano did sometimes when he was pissed off as she yelled, "Attack me, you little bastard!"

That set Yahiko off. No one insulted his parents. He attacked full force. His shinai came down intended for Hiraru's shoulder, but a hand pushed it out of the way, as Hiraru spun out of the attack. Already off balance, a simple push in the back from Hiraru sent Yahiko face-first into the dirt.

Yahiko rolled over, clearly livid. "How dare you?!" He shouted. "You have no right to talk about my parents that way!"

Hiraru just looked back at him calmly. "You're right."

Yahiko's eyes went wide, as a surprised look passed over all the gathered's faces as Hiraru continued, "I apologize for speaking of your family that way, but it got you to attack." Hiraru held a hand out to the short spiky-haired kid. "Now, do you want to try attacking me of your own choice and while not angry?"

Yahiko blinked, then took the hand, and was quickly pulled to his feet. Hiraru once again backed up a few steps and this time took a fighting stance. "Ready?" She asked, waiting for Yahiko.

The boy took his own stance and set himself to attack again.

The process repeated itself fifteen more times before Hiraru called a stop to it. "I think you've got it down," she said, standing, relaxed, in the center of the yard. "Now do you want to try actually sparring with me?" She tilted her head to one side.

"Sparring?" Yahiko echoed.

Hiraru took on that same amused smile as before, and asked, "Why is it the youth of today insist on answering a question with another question?"

Yahiko glared again this time more curious than last, "Well . . . what would you use to fight me?"

Hiraru chuckled. "That is for me to know and you to find out."

Yahiko's glare turned into a death stare. "Fine." He raised his shinai in an attack stance. "Just remember you asked for it."

Hiraru just stood there, her body lax; without knowing it a smile that mirrored any of those of her father's. Yahiko waited a moment, expecting Hiraru to go into some sort of a stance, but she never did.

He attacked.

It was very forward, an attempt to draw out her weapon so Yahiko could plan his next move. Hiraru stepped out of the way simply. Yahiko arched a slash upward and toward her. She stepped back, smoothly avoiding it. Yahiko stepped in, attacking again and again, but Hiraru easily dodged each one. Finally her hand passed in front of her, warding the shinai off to the side. Then she lowered herself until she was just lower than Yahiko, and used one hand to push him in the stomach.

Yahiko went flying. From lying on the flat of his back he looked up to see Hiraru squatting next to him.

"You didn't give it your all," she said. The single statement said volumes about her opinion of Yahiko's plan. "You attacked openly, not to hit me but to draw out my weapon." Her voice was strangely cold. "You continued to do this for a long while, leaving yourself open after every attack."

She looked at him now, it was an unimpressed stare that didn't waver as she continued, "If I had been a real warrior, I could have killed you, several times. If I had held a knife." Her hand slowly hovered towards him, then touched him right where she'd pushed him. "You'd have an injury, right here. I would have pierced your liver probably, and you'd be lying out flat somewhere, bleeding to death."

Yahiko felt the blood in his face drain.

Hiraru's look never faltered, "Exactly," She said, answering Yahiko's unasked question. She stood, grabbing Yahiko by the front of his shirt and pulling him off the ground.

"Now fight me like a man," she directed as she walked away from Yahiko, putting space between the two of them. "You don't know what my weapon is, you don't know my fighting style, and I'm twice your size. What are you going to do? Attack me like you don't have a second chance."

Yahiko slowly took his fighting stance again. He felt afraid. This guy knows how to scare a person, but why is he sparring with me?

Hiraru stood, relaxed, again, and Yahiko prepared to attack. Yahiko attacked, full-force, and trying to hurt the dark-haired carpenter. Once again, Hiraru dodged it, but this time twisting away. Her hands disappeared behind her back, and as Yahiko attacked again, his shinai met a twelve-inch steel rod. Hiraru spun the shinai away from her off the round of the rod and brought another rod around almost out of nowhere to attack Yahiko's undefended back. Instead of striking, Hiraru laid the pole across the back of Yahiko's neck so he could feel the cool steel.

She leaned forward and spoke into the paralyzed Yahiko's ear, "You leave yourself too open for attack. Spar with someone closer to your level then come see me when you've defeated them at least ten times." She leaned away from him, removing the rod and walking back to the porch.

Yahiko stared in shock for a minute. That had been so fast he was still trying to figure out what had happended. Then he stuttered out, "If those pole things are your weapons, how do you know sword fighting?"

Hiraru just smiled over her shoulder.

This entire exchange between the two lasted the total of an hour. Sano had been so caught up by how extremely the two had been practicing that without thinking about it, he'd done as Kaoru had asked and folded clothes. Now, as he noticed it he was appalled at himself, and grumbled about it for the rest of the evening. Subconsciously he noticed that Hiraru's fighting style was similar to someone else's he'd known, but he couldn't remember whose

I hope everybody like this chapter, and if you didn't…. I WILL FIND OUT WHERE YOU LIVE AND …. I just realized I'm running out of new threats… (Shifts eyes back and forth nevously) I don't like it…

If any of you are willing and know about FMA I could use a extra editor, Syldoran-chan is over worked. So message me if you fit the requirements, and attach some of your own work, please.

Thank you for reading. Now press that review button, you know you don't want to piss me off. I'm scary when I'm angry… Trust my friends on this, (Points to the group of anime-geeks that are swarming my manga book case) Uh… Guys?

(They turn as a group and stare) Did we do something wrong, Ruroni-chan?

(Shakes head) Am I scary when I'm angry?

(Their eyes grow wide) ….

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…Very…

(Ruroni) Well you've been warned, Now review…