The ship was calmly sailing in the ocean, heading to the east, towards the Isles of Kenshin - a little country situated on many islands bound together. People there ate fish as the main dish.
Blade Warriors were an ancient order of Kenshin, one of the oldest orders of the world, founded by Yoko Matsumoto, the first-ever swordswoman in Kenshin who was disguised as a man for almost an entire life of hers before she got gravely injured in the chest area and thus was discovered to be a woman. But due to her loyalty to swordsmanship rules and her work on founding the order, the ruler of the district preserved her life and married her shortly afterwards, having a son with her, and thus the long-living order of Blade Warriors was born, the main rules of which were called the Code and were to be preserved and followed by all members.
In Kenshin, there were many Blade Warrior Groups, but Matsumoto Group was the greatest as it was the main branch and the head order of all the other groups. Matsumoto Group's Blade Warrior Order building was situated in the town of Matsunoki, the exact same town where the friends were heading now, and where Shadow Ninja Order operated and harmed the population.
"Ah, I'm so excited!" Tamie exclaimed once the girls gathered in their common cabin in the ship, while Shiba had taken a separate one as a boy. "We're heading to Kenshin, and in Matsunoki, where the Blade Warrior Order originated and exists even now! I guess I can finally continue with my novel of Byakuya the Blade Warrior!" she was jumping on her bed with joy. "Oh, and by the way, my number one fan from Kenshin lives there. We got to know each other by Computer-gadgets. I publish my stories worldwide, and he contacted me via my signal which is attached to the books in case someone wishes to talk to me, and so he called me once. His signals are a Snake, a Sword, and a Tailed Goat (many people from Kenshin put the Sword as a code signal), and we got to know each other. His code-name is Matsumatsu. He told me he lives in Matsunoki. I hope I meet him!" she opened up her Computer-gadget, typing to some guy under 'Matsumatsu' code-name she talked about, that she would soon arrive in Matsunoki in Kenshin.
"Maybe he's not trustworthy? Why are you alerting him right away?" Riza raised an eyebrow, having suspicions.
"But I want to meet my fans! I don't have that many of them".
"It would be awesome to meet your fans!" Tiger got excited too, playing with her pets at the same time.
Soon Tamie got a signal back and got worked up. She quickly checked the letter.
"Looking forward to it, Tamie-san".
She brightened - he answered, and he seemed excited too! So she began typing again. She wrote to him to meet up when they could. But now she got a different answer:
"My sincere apologies, Tamie-san... Things are not well settled in Matsunoki these days. I would advise you not to stay in the streets for long, especially in the evenings. The Ninja lurk everywhere. But I do hope we can meet up while you stay here. Please alert me of your arrival, so I could review my schedule. I would really love to see my favourite author, Tamie-san. Arigatō gozaimashita".
(TRANSLATION: Arigatō gozaimashita - Thank you very much (Japanese)).
"Hmm, that's sad..." Tamie turned off her Computer-gadget and stood up. "I guess I'll go take a walk on the ship".
She left her surprised friends and went out. When she walked on the deck, she widened eyes in surprise - there was a familiar tall guy with a long black ponytail and light blue eyes, dressed in a black-to-purple kimono, standing at the hand-rails of the ship, looking far across the horizon. Once she took a good look at him, she brightened - it was Byakuya von Drachen from the Cherry Blossom Festival back in Rosenweld, the same guy who alerted her of the dangers from Erik and Jan! Her lips formed in a broad smile as she ran up to him and cried out:
"Mr. von Drachen!"
Byakuya started and turned around, but once he caught the sight of Tamie, he beamed and waved a hand:
"Tamie Wingfield, such a pleasant surprise! It is nice to see you again!"
"Hehe, same here!" she ran up to him and shook his hand, "How are you?"
"Thank you, I'm fine. I see you're alright too. I heard your order defeated Erik and his brother. I am glad everything turned out fine. I admit I was worried".
"Oh, yes, it was one scary experience!" Tamie trembled again upon remembering that gruesome fight. "But I'm glad it's okay now. We received the news from our member at the final moment, that if we destroyed Erik's four clones, it would be over".
"Yes, I know. Goldmund Steinbock, right?"
"H... How do you know?"
"We operated together," Byakuya beamed. "My order of Blade Warriors had allowed me to come to Rosenweld to settle my family matters of von Drachen Clan, which included destroying Erik and Jan. So I teamed up with Goldmund Steinbock who worked on the same mission given by his order. I destroyed Erik inside the seal so that only his clones could remain, and then informed Goldmund of my action. What happened next you know..."
Tamie gasped - so back then... he too had helped them?!
"Amazing..." Just destroying Illusionary Clones of Erik was hell, and he had destroyed the real one inside the Bearer Seal?! This guy's a beast... she dumbfoundedly stared at the young man who smiled casually as if what he had done was nothing.
"So..." Byakuya broke the silence, "I assume you too are going to Kenshin? For a mission perchance?"
"Yes. I became a Grandmaster after the fight with Erik's clones, so I'm going there on a Grandmaster job, to defeat the Shadow Ninja Order!"
Byakuya started - the Shadow Ninja Order?! He furrowed his brow:
"But in Matsunoki, my order, the Blade Warriors, operate and control the town. Matsumoto-sama, my magister, won't be too pleased to hear that some people from another country have come to interfere in their matters. I am actually summoned back to my order on behalf of the Shadow Ninja too".
"Oh," Tamie blinked, "B... But, we received this request from Matsunoki Prefect himself..."
"You don't understand, Tamie. Matsumoto-sama, my magister, is the owner of those lands. He is a strict man who operates according to the Blade Warrior Code and he cannot stand foreigners. He doesn't even respect me much due to my being only half-Kenshinese. The only reason why he permitted me to stay in the order after Crimson Flame was destroyed, is because he loves me as his cousin... I warn you, you shall have problems with Matsumoto-sama if you do things on your own in Matsunoki..." he then sighed, "I guess I will have to explain the situation to him and present you to him. Are you here with a group or alone?"
"Um... I am with my three partners," Tamie uttered, already frightened - who was this fearsome Matsumoto-sama?!
"Alright, let us stay together when we arrive in Kenshin. I hope we can make things work..."
"Um, okay. Thank you for helping us, Byakuya".
"Do not worry," Byakuya smilingly put a hand on her shoulder, trying to encourage her. "I'm sure we can pull it off. I hope..."