"........"

[silence]

There's dead bodies everywhere....
Shizumaru is all alone.
He doesn't have any weapons with him. Just himself.

[THUNDER]

"...!!"

He saw Poppy on the ground..... DEAD.

Killed Then he saw Galford, Kazuki, Genjuro.....every samurai in the world including the great Hoahmaru.....DEAD. All killed.

Even Rimururu...

 Shizumaru : "....!!!!!!!!!!"

Shizu is shocked. He can see they were all killed by the same person. But who? Why is he only alive?

[THUNDER]

 Shizumaru : "...?"

He saw a ray of dim light not very far away... a very dim light shining from the sky, from the dark clouds. Shining on ....someone.. He takes a closer look...

It's a young woman. She has her eyes closed...praying. A pair of wings appears from her back....gently....

So peaceful....
She's wearing a pendant...
It looks like the same charity girl Shizu met earlier..!!

 Shizumaru : "!!!!!" Shizu gasps...

She isn't alone. A caped man walk towards her.......
she turns around....

Shizumaru : "LOOK OUT!!!!!!!"

But it's too late................

[SLASH]

[THUNDER]

Shizumaru : "NOOOO..!!!!!!"

Shizumaru opens his eyes. His heart pounds fast... he was scared. It was just a nightmare. But everything look so real...

He looks around. He's in a room..in a house...

Shizumaru : "...ouch..!"

His face hurts. But not as much as before..

[DOOR OPENS]

Rimururu : "SHIZUMARU..!!!!" gasps Rimururu

She went to his side...

Rimururu: "ARE YOU OK??? HOW'RE YOU FEELING?? I WAS SO WORRIED..!!! YOU'VE BEEN SLEEPING FOR TWO DAYS..!!"

Shizumaru : "....I'm fine..." whispers Shizu, "Where are the others?"

Rimururu : "They're in the other room." said Rimururu, "they're ok. You're the only one who's WAY more injured than us!! Especially the scar on your face...[sad] We thought you bleed to DEATH..."

Shizumaru : ".....Scar?" Shizu touches his face again.

Rimururu hands him a bowl of water....

Rimururu : "Here..take a look.."

Shizumaru hesitates. A scar..?? On his face?? He takes a deep breath, and looks at the water....

...there's a SCAR in his face.... VERY noticeable...

He didn't even stop to stare......

Shizumaru : "NOOOO....!!!!!"

[BOWL FALLS ON GROUND]

Shizumaru : "DAMN IT..!!!!!" Shouts Shizu, covering his face....

Rimururu : "SHIZUMARU...CALM DOWN...!!"

Shizumaru : "DAMN.......GODDAMN IT......." Shizu is shocked...

Galford : "What's going on?......HEY RED-HEAD IS AWAKE!!!"

The others came into the room...

Kazuki : "We thought you're GONE FOR SURE!!" sighs Kazuki

Shizumaru : "....is this scar...for LIFE..?" Whispers Shizu...

"...." they didn't say anything.

(?????????) : "YES." Said a man voice

It's Jubei....

Jubei : "Just be happy you still have your life, lad. You could've bleed to death....you lost too much blood. The chances of surviving a slash like THAT is two out of five... that's little chance."

Hoahmaru : "But luckily a girl saved your life, Shizu!!!" smiles Hoahmaru, "She must be pretty good at healing huh?? How does she do that??..."

Shizumaru : "....a scar.." whispers Shizu, still a bit stunned...

Then he ran outside...

Rimururu : "SHIZUMARU..!!"

Rimururu wanted to go after him, but Kazuki stopped her......

Kazuki : "The kid must be in shock. Just leave him alone. He'll be ok."

Rimururu : "...."

Rimururu is worried.....

----------------------------------------

Shizu is outside of the house..

[Birds chirping]

He's in the bamboo forest. He remember now. Last night he was fighting Shogun... Shogun was the one who gave him this scar..and almost killed him too. Shizu also hit him back...but did Shogun survived? He didn't see Shogun after he wake up...what happened last night? Who saved him? Shizu got so many questions in his mind.... and so little answers.

[CHIRP]

A bird flies past Shizu...

Shizumaru : "Huh?"

Shizu watches the bird......

He's got a strange feeling that he should follow the bird...so he did without telling his allies where he's going....

[CHIRP]

The bird flies into a meadow. A field of flowers. Shizumaru stares at the meadow.........

Shizumaru : "....The secret place..?"

He remembers something from his past now... he and the girl came here seven years ago. This meadow was their secret place....
...and also the last place they were together seven years ago.....

Shizumaru : "..."

Shizumaru enters the meadow... something tells him to go...that someone is waiting for him. Could it be the girl? The girl must be.....AKANE!!!! Could she really be here? But it's been seven long years... he haven't took one step on this meadow for seven years. Why would she be here TODAY? It'll be stupid if he go and try and find her but found nothing.  But he doesn't care. He wants to know......he can feel it....

[STEPPING ON GRASS]

He enters the meadow even deeper.....the flowers and grass reaches to his legs. But he doesn't care. He walks some more...looking for her. But all he sees is butterflies, rabbits, flowers....and more flowers. Wildlife....

Shizumaru : "...where are you..?" whispers Shizu

He can feel she's here...she's nearby.......

[Wind blowing]

The wind blows past Shizu..

Shizumaru : "Huh?"

A bird feather is carried by the wind... Shizu saw it, and grabs the feather.
He looks at it

  Shizumaru : "...This looks familiar.... Akane.."

[Wind continues]

Shizumaru : "!!!"

Shizumaru loses grip on the feather.... it continues to be carried by the wind...

The wind carries the feather away....

It flies past a young girl...

Shizumaru : "...."

Shizu saw the girl, but not her face. She's standing with her back facing Shizu...She's waiting for someone.......

He walks a few steps towards her....

Girl : "It's you.." whispers the girl...

Shizumaru : "??" Shizu doesn't get it.........

The girl turns around.............

Girl : "It's really YOU..."

It's the charity girl..!! Shizumaru is surprised to see her again......

Girl : "I've been waiting for you for seven years.." Whispers the girl, "I almost gave up..But I know you'll keep your promise. I know if I wait long enough...we'll meet again. I know you will come here.."

Shizumaru : "......" Shizu is surprised....

Shizumaru : "....A..A...Ak......Akane?"

Akane : "Shizumaru...!!"

And she runs toward him....

Akane : "[GASPS]"

The girl trips..!!

Shizumaru : "WATCH OUT..!!"

Shizumaru grabs her before she falls...

She safely fell on his arms....

Then she smiles, and WRAP HER ARMS AROUND HIS NECK....!!!!

Akane : "GOTCHA!!!!!!" smiles the Akane, hugging him.....

Shizumaru : "??!!!" Shizu is surprised, "..Gotcha???!!"

Akane backs off....

Akane : "...Sorry! I know Samurai NEVER hugs. Especially you. So I have to pretend that I trip and..."

Shizumaru : "...And to get a hug from me?"

Akane : "......" The girls blinks, then she smiles, "[giggle] You're still as cute as you were before!"

Shizumaru : "...So you are really Akane." said Shizu, "you haven't change much yourself..."

Then he saw her katana..

  Shizumaru : "..Except the fighting part."

Akane : "People change through time... I have changed, so have you." said Akane, "so much things happened....we have SO MUCH to catch up to, Shizu-chan!!"

Shizumaru : "Shizu....CHAN?"

He doesn't like to be called like that.....(it means "Little Shizu")

Akane : "Hmmm...."

She stares at Shizu....

Shizu is curious...

Shizumaru : "????"

.........

Akane : "What happened to your face? That scar? Did you fight?"

Shizumaru : "....!!!!"

Shizumaru tries to hide the scar...........

Akane : "I wish people will stop fighting. It's just stupid. Luckily I was able to heal your scar...or you would've bleed to death!!" said Akane, she doesn't really mind about the scar. Then she is sad....

Akane : "...during these 7 years, lots of things happened. We both must've changed a lot...."

Shizumaru : "...."

Akane : "..And during those years, I discovered something I never really knew.." said Akane, "and I want to talk to you about it.."

Shizumaru : "Ok..."

Shizu is listening.......

Akane hesitates....

Akane : No...not now. Now is not the time...not yet." Then she is worried, "Shizumaru, let's head back. Something has happened back at my house...and to your friends..."

Shizumaru : "???" Shizu doesn't get it, but they both head back...

Chapter 11.............When the sun sets.......

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