Sorry for taking so long to post the next chapter, but like I keep telling you all, if you review, I remember to post So with no further comment, the next chapter.

The day of the festival was surprisingly cheerful. It was held all day on the temple grounds. Mothers and children came early. The children joined others in an area just for them, then their mothers went back down to the village to work further. Only the farmer families would stay and work in their fields for half a day. The rest of the families came later in the morning, having slept in on this festival day. Several monks helped entertain the small children while older ones ran around playing the festival games and eating the festival snacks the monks gave away for free. The richer parents wandered through the temple grounds, some watching the puppet plays and others looking at the different stalls, or went to the prayers in the temple, some even wandered the temple gardens. Each member of the village families wore their finest.

Everyone from the house dressed up. Yahiko, and Sozo were both the same size so Sozo loaned the other boy one of his nicer kimono. Kenshin was given one from Akira-san. Kaoru and Megumi were both loaned kimono that had once been Hiraru's mother's. Sano was the only one who didn't know where his kimono and Hakama set had come from. They'd been left in his room that morning. It was a dark red set. The kimono was red brown but the over coat left for him had a red lining, and the Hakama was coal black. On the back of the over coat was a small 'bad' symbol carefully stitched on in red silk thread. It was like the set was meant for him. There was even a set of white socks that fit his large feet and a white under kimono.

Akira-san told them breakfast would be in the temple, and he ended up having to ride Katsu down. Hiraru, Tatsou and Shiro didn't join the others on the trip down. According to Akira-san Hiraru had gone up the Path of Heaven to pay her respects before coming to the festival. Shiro's hakama had somehow gotten lost and he was left behind to look for it. Only Tatsou was unaccountable, he'd been missing when Sano had woken up. So Sozo led Katsu, and left him tied up near the main temple.

Two hours later Sano had eaten and wandered into the main temple. There were only ten monks at a time in the large room, the rest out taking care of different booths. In the back were a few villagers, but it was the person at the very front that interested him. Bowing on her knees was a woman in a red and white kimono set. If Sano hadn't seen her grave he would have thought it was Haru's mother. The woman had her long hair tied back with a white belled cord, and her pure white kimono stood out next to all the darker robes of the monks and the bright colors of the villagers.

The prayers ended and the woman stood and turned around. Haru slowly walked out, stopping to say something to each monk she passed. As she got closer Sano's jaw dropped at the detail on her kimono. The ivory kimono was patterned with snow white feathers on her sleeves and across her back and chest. The pants were dark red so heavily patterned with scarlet flowers you almost couldn't see the dark red. Sano could barely make out the snow white Tabi on her feet, and the black wood sandals she pulled on.

She smiled at him as she exited the temple, "If you keep your mouth open like that something might fly in."

She chuckled as Sano snapped his jaw close, "How… You're hair… Where did you… That kimono set…"

"I'm wearing a wig," Hiraru smiled, "The people expect their Hiraru to be unrealistic. Mom's hair wasn't even this long, and grandmother only grew her hair this long after it started to gray." She flipped the tail so that it swayed wildly down near her knees. "I only wear it when I need to impress someone, or I have a ceremony here to attend. I'm glad you like the kimono. Remember that painting I showed you? These were Mom's ceremonial robes, I inherited them. Mom was wearing these when grandfather had that painting made. They were a little short… Had to be taken out, but they've been worn for twenty generations from the time they are fifteen until the day they become the Hiraru. This is only for a Hiraru that is also a shrine maiden. You should see the set my granduncle wore for ceremonies." She looked at him again, "Dad's hakama looks good on you. Did you like the symbol I added to the back?"

Sano blinked, "These were the captain's? You left them for me?"

She chuckled again started down the stairs, Sano followed after her, "Where's Shiro and Tatsou?" She asked, "They're the only ones I haven't seen."

Sano shrugged, "Shiro couldn't find his good Hakama when we left, Don't know where he is now."

Hiraru chuckled, "I bet Tatsou had something to do with that. What about him? Where is he?"

Sano shrugged again, "He was gone before I woke up. I haven't seen him either."

"If I know Tatsou the way I think I know my twin," Hiraru put her finger to her chin, "He's not that far away, probably leaving havoc and chaos behind in his wake." She smiled and waved as a set of children ran passed.

An arm wrapped around her shoulders and a hand landed on Sano's, "Come on Haru, I don't always leave havoc and chaos behind." There was a sudden bang from another part of the temple grounds, and what sounded like Shiro yelling, "I do however like to leave some fire crackers behind," Tatsou chuckled evilly, "You know me I'm a harmless prankster."

Hiraru raised her eyebrow at the cloud of smoke, "Harmless?"

"Alright, it was mostly a smoke bomb," Tatsou leaned heavily on her, "I promise however it was not intended to hurt anyone, Haru."

Hiraru chuckled, "Not you too… I thought you at least would call me Hiraru."

"Haru suits you better," Tatsou smiled at his sister, "It makes you smile." He released her shoulders and took her hand, "Come on there's a set of partner races that are begging for us to beat those village brats." As the two jogged away Sano noticed Tatsou's Hakama and kimono. He wore the same ivory kimono as Hiraru, but his was patterned with snow white dragons that flew up one sleeve and wound its way up his back on over his other shoulder, then was trying to claw its way up his other sleeve. His pants were sky blue with outlines of tiny, ice blue flowers so clustered that sometimes you couldn't tell they were flowers. Sano wondered if those were the clothes Hiraru's Granduncle had worn.

The better part of the festival went well.

"No!" Sano walked into the temple as Hiraru slammed her palm onto the straw mat, "Absolutely not!"

Shiro continued to watch Hiraru, but Akira-san looked up to where Sano was standing. The priest, Taki was pacing behind them both. Slowly Akira stood and walked around his fighting Granddaughter and Grandson. He stood next to Sano trying to usher him out, "I'm sorry, Sanosuke, If you want to talk to Hiraru-chibi you'll have to wait. Go stand with Katsu…She'll be out there later."

Sano looked over his shoulder, Hiraru was basically yelling at Shiro. "I'm not just going to let you take my last year of freedom!"

Akira pulled Sano further away, "Please, Just go, wait by Katsu."

Sano looked to the older man and nodded. He was leaning against the gelding when Hiraru came storming out of the temple, her wig missing. She was walking in just her tabi towards Katsu.

Muttering about stupid men, she walked right past him and pulled Katsu's reins loose, and gathering them to climb on. Sano held on to Katsu's reins and looked up at her as she pulled herself onto the horse. "Haru?" He asked.

"Let go, Sano," Hiraru glared at him, "Let go or climb on, if you don't you're going to get hurt."

Sano looked back at the temple, Shiro and Taki were hurrying around the temple. "Where are you going?" He asked trying to figure out what had happened.

"Anywhere that isn't here." She insisted tightening her hold on Katsu's reins. Sano reached up putting his hand on the front of the saddle, and shoving his foot into the stirrup. He barely pulled himself up before Hiraru urged Katsu into a run out of the Temple grounds. Sano nearly fell off as Katsu jumped over a bush and off a three foot cliff. He clung to Hiraru, slipping from side to side on Katsu's hind quarters.

Well, Hiraru's pissed off, a rare event… I wonder why… You'll have to review if you want to find out.