Twilight-kun: RURONI-CHAN!!!! Get you're nose out of that book and post a damn chapter every now and then!!!
Ruroni (points at screen without looking up from most recent Patricia Briggs book): Just talk to the system and do it yourself, I'm in the middle of a fight scene!
Twilight-kun (glares then looks at Gerry-sama): Is she normally like this at home?
Gerry-sama (Shrugs): I just gave that to her after I finished reading it… With her favorite authors… Yeah this is normal.
Ruroni (Still not looking up): The camera is on guys.
Twilight-kun and Gerry-sama turn surprised to the screen
Twilight-kun: Oh, Hi readers…
Gerry-sama: Ruroni-chibi is being a hermit this week but to make up for it The Brat and I will be posting the next two chapters in Captian Sagara's Daughter.
Twilight-kun: If you send enough reviews we may be able to distract Ruroni-chan from her books long enough to hide that damn thing.
Ruroni (finally looks up with evil glare): touch my book and Die MORTAL!!!!
Twilight-kun: You think I'm afraid of you!!! (Attacks)
Gerry-sama (Raises eyebrow at the dirt cloud that is writer and editor, then turns back to camera): While they're doing that, why don't you read, REVIEW, and Enjoy the next chapter in this story… NO KILLING!!!
The dinner was in western style courses. Hiraru finished the soup, and vegetable course before she politely excused herself to powder her nose. Takashie offered to show her the way, but laughingly she declined, so an attendant took her down the halls to a restroom. On the way Hiraru noticed something, in a room off to the side of a hallway. She told the attendant she could find her way back and when she got out of the toilet she went to the room. On the mantle of a fire place, in what appeared to be a library, were a Katana and Wakizashi. They were plain at first glance, black lacquer sheaths, woven black grips, and black steel hilts which were well worn. On second look, you could see the steel was tarnished with blue on the black, and the grip under the wrap was the same dark blue, but the wrap was dark brown in comparison to that. The sheath was plain black, and in the highlights it was the same dark blue of the hilt. The guards where plain, cheap, unmarked steel; they matched the concept of a poor samurai's swords.
Hiraru felt her blood running cold. She remembered her father polishing those blades, patiently taking apart the hilt to clean it in detail. She even remembered playing with the real guards, which were the same blue tarnished black steel, but with an intricate pattern that resembled braided knots. Those guards were wrapped carefully in one of her mother's sashes, and stashed in the attic. Hiraru forced herself to breathe. She'd found the swords, and if they weren't under glass she could check the blade to make sure they were the right ones.
A noise behind her made her jump and spin around. Takashie was standing at the door, "Akata-chan, we were beginning to wonder what had happened to you." He stepped through the doorway, and blinked at her, "Is something wrong, Akata-chan? You look as though you've seen a ghost…"
Hiraru smiled, still out of breath, "Forgive me Ikeda-san, I saw the door ajar and the shine of the sword and I thought it was something else. I came in to get a better look, and I suppose I lost track of time."
"You were looking at the sword?" He looked confused as he came even with her. He looked up at it, his disgust visible on his face, "Why would you spend time looking at such an ugly thing?"
Hiraru turned to look at the swords, "Yes, it's quit frightening. At first I see them as an over glamorized, poor samurai's swords, but when you get closer you feel the souls of the men they have taken. It becomes terrifying in its simplicity. For them to be under glass they must have been held by a very powerful man. Were they your father's?"
Takashie looked at her, still confused, "I don't know, I always thought it was some piece of junk my father got during the war with the Ishin Shishi, he has other's that are nicer than these in display cabinets in his office."
Hiraru blinked slowly, trying not to give away her sudden understanding of Toshimi. He had every impressive sword in his public study, and office. He had only this one, simple sword hidden away in this corner library. Hiraru wondered if he was ashamed of it. No, she quickly decided, Toshimi just didn't think this sword was as important as it really was. Her father's swords had won over the farmers during the war, they were made by a fifth generation sword smith, and they were worth more, now, than Katsu would be.
Hiraru smiled at Takashie, "Never mind, we should be getting back to the party. After all it's not every day a man has such a grand party for his day of birth."
Takashie turned boastful at that, "Well, my father is very important to the government…"
Twilight-kun (from dirt cloud): OW!!!! SHE JUST BIT ME!!!!
Ruroni: SO???? YOU POKED ME IN THE EYE!!!
Gerry-sama (enjoying a soda as he watches the two "children" fight from his comfy couch): It was fair Brat!
Twilight-kun: HEY!!! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE AIMING FOR!!!
Ruroni: WHATEVER I CAN HIT!!!
Gerry-sama: No below the belt stirkes… (Notices camera's on again) Sorry readers… They're still at it… Why don't you review while we prepare the next chapter. Thanks for you patience.