I really liked this one...nice to see Yahiko growing up to be the fine man we all know he can be...

It's sad to me how fics that were written a while back, and are so good, get neglected because people only seem to be looking for what just came in. I scour this site when I get time (which is admittedly not often) to find the good stuff.

I'm really glad you reviewed my fic or I wouldn't have gotten to read this!

Excellent, excellent characterization. I like how Yahiko is a blend of maturity and childishness. No matter how 'old' a person is, they still bow to the contraints of their age from time to time and you really showcase that here. Kenshin, Kaoru, Misao, Sano... etc. are also really well done for only having mostly cameo appearances. And your original character, 'Big' (that amuses me!) is very well done and fits in seamlessly.

Your writing is very skillfull, and you manage to slip things in that you want to say without it being obvious or without the reader really realizing what you're doing. I like how you've been able to get a lesson across in this story without being preachy or making it seem unrealistic. It had more poignancy that way.

I really enjoyed the time spent between Yahiko and Shimada, and how it made Yahiko think twice about what he really thought was important. All of the time spent with Kenshin, it's easy to see why he would want to idolize him and feel he needs to be like him, no matter what Kenshin would say to him. It took a patient stranger (from the other side too!) to get him to see it. It just fits in so well! I can't tell you enough!

The kidnapping of Yahiko fits so well in with the other plots in the anime, yet you carry it out in a way that is just perfect for Yahiko's character development. Sometimes in the series, he could be too cocky, and I think this drives home for him that all actions have consequences, regardless of whether you meant there to be or not. And I like that he also understands Kenshin better for it.

The baby and diaper stuff is amusing, and if Yahiko thinks it's bad now, wait until Karou and Kenshin have kids or he does himself!

But seriously. This was really well done. Well written, great characterizations, and perfectly executed vehicle for a bit of a peek into history and Yahiko to grow a little more. I really enjoyed that he was central in this and was able to (for the most part) figure things out on his own. I think Kenshin and Shimada being there helped to drive things home better for him, but I like that he might have been able to get out all on his own.

I really wish more people would read this.

Yeah! Yahiko gets front and center, but no one else feels left out. Very nicely done. Don't think I missed the return of diapers at the end! Full circle and all that.
The shadow play between Misao and Aoshi and Yahiko's reaction to it was very sweet. He comes across as believable and likable.
Your original characters are nuanced, even the little Kyoto pickpocket. In the manga, Yahiko's past is ignored for the most part (except for when he uses his skills to lift weapons off his opponents) but it was a criminal activity so it's good to see him face that.

Wonderful story. I loved it. It was nice seeing Yahiko growing up.

I sheepishly admit that I hadn't read this until now...

I loved the really original plotline! When Yahiko got nabbed I was left wracking my brain for whose life he could possibly have ruined. It was very fresh to link in something from his own past that Kenshin, Kaoru, etc had nothing at all to do with. You captured Yahiko's kid sensibilities and thought patterns well, and I liked how you've given him a personal experience that lets him understand Kenshin a little better too. Pointing out the differences between their respective approaches was also a really nice touch. Good luck to Yahiko and Tsubame!

As always, I also liked the vividness of the scenery and the sense of place. And the history lessons added a real poignancy to the discussion of bushido. One could have made up some tragic story to illustrate the point but this was just so much more interesting.

I spotted one or two typos; if you want I can try to find them again and let you know in private.

a happy little story... the beauty of fan fiction is that i get to see people and situations from different perspectives. i never consider some of the what-ifs and consequences in the side stories of an anime, manga or movie... these are the makings of wonderful fan fiction like this one. i envy your creativity and imagination.

eloquently executed.

thank you,
ginny

"And Yahiko understood at last, truly understood, why it had taken Kenshin so long to marry Kaoru, to accept the happiness that she offered."

This line, I love it. You truly have a gift of showing your readers what's important without sounding preachy. I've been reading a lot of old fics lately and you know how there are lessons found in most everything but it's really tricky how you want to drive these home in a story. A lot of authors end up spelling it out and that's fine but comes off as 'kiddie' most of the time. I like your style much much better. ^_^

See, I read this again and logged out so I could tell you that. Ja!

Why did I miss this? This is so good! I like how it's Yahiko centered and in the end he comes to yet another deeper understanding of what it means to be a man, to be like Kenshin. Kudos! ^_^

^^ Hee. Good ending. The 'old' joke was amusing. And the Saitou-noodles bit from last chapter; forgot to comment then. *snickers* You definitely grew Yahiko up by the end, however old he was actually supposed to be.

Freeble! I need to do something non-anime-related before I go nuts...I think they've colonized my brain... *zombie impression*

Agh. So easy to wreck a person's life, and this particular person happens to have a good memory and an obsessive personality. ^^ Nice, specific, and fairly complicated. I don't see why the fellow was demanding Yahiko's boss's name when he grabbed him if he already knew it, but hey...presumably you hadn't decided what happened in this chapter when you wrote that one.

Ah! It has gotten active, if inexplicable. Hahaha...intense concentration on walking... If Sano's 'back from China after many years' Yahiko's GOT to be at least thirteen, probably older, which makes his childishness a problem for me. I mean, remember what he was like when he turned fifteen? So flippin' confident and competent enough to catch a sword between two fingers as if it was nothing, and with a huge reputation in Tokyo already as 'the man who's caught a hundred blades' or some such nonsense... Oh well. I'll live. I'll live. Good luck, Kenshin, Shimada.

^^ Hah. The security guard was obviously going to have been Shinsengumi, but I didn't have a clue what would happen next. That was a good story, the one he told. Well illustrated. But...Yahiko was too...too...childish, I suppose. He generally wasn't this simple-minded even when he was ten, and when you're ten it's allowed. Oh well. Hi, Kenshin. What's all this lurking in the shadows business?

Haha. Oh dear, diapers. Yech. But the bad part is WASHING the things. The paper diaper was a fantastic invention, and I'll never know why my parents didn't use them. Luckily, being unable to walk, I wasn't obliged to get them clean. >>

When are we, exactly? You're making fun of Myojin-kun a lot, so I can't tell how old he is. At least twelve by now, and he really grew up a lot by the end of Jinchuu. He's such a softy. And tough. ^^ S'all good. How old's this one? Ah, ten months ended. OK. Let's see what happened next.

This story was adorable! I have lots of warm fuzzies now :D I'm a big Yahiko fan, and I'm always happy to find good stories about him. There are so few! Your characterizations are really great, this was a lot fun to read. I could nitpick a couple grammatical things I saw but...nah. Not important. Great job, thanks for sharing with us!

Oh, this was really good. Very much enjoyed it, especially the end when Yahiko and Kenshin have their understanding. Kind of sad for Yahiko, to have to learn about guilt personally, but good too, since it helps him understand why Kenshin does the things he does. Also really liked Big. Great story!