Shizu and Akane spend most of the night at the Meadow...talking and watching stars. Then they went home...
Shizu went to drop Akane off at her house first...
It's starting to rain.....the clouds gather...

[Thunder]

It's raining hard now when they get to Akane's house. but something is wrong. The house is destroyed... and Jubei is laying down on the ground...wounded. There's blood everywhere. A caped stranger is standing in front of Jubei.... he must be the one who did this to Jubei and the place....

Shizumaru : "[GASPS]" Shizu is shocked...

Akane : "DADDY..!!!" Akane gasps, when she saw her dad wounded..

Jubei : "AKANE..!!! NO..!! GET AWAY!! RUN!!!!" shouts Jubei

But it's too late.

The caped stranger runs toward Akane without hesitation and pulls out a katana and attacks Akane..!!!!

Akane : "[GASPS]" Akane gasps, very scared....

The stranger moves very fast and not enough time for Akane to escape......

Too late...

Shizumaru : "NOOO..!!!!" shouts Shizu, and protects Akane.... he has his eyes closed tightly..

[silence]

The rain continues... nothing happened.

Shizumaru : "..." Shizu still have his eyes closed, protecting Akane. Then he opens his eyes, notice nothing has happened....

Shizumaru : "..huh?"

The caped stranger's sword is just 1 INCH away from his head. But the stranger stopped before it hits Shizu...He didn't attack him. But why? One hit in a kid's head with the katana immediately kills the kid...but the stranger didn't do it.

Stranger : "MOVE." , in a low man voice...

But Shizu refused.

[BAM] the stranger hits him with his elbow..!!! Shizu falls into the ground...

Akane : "SHIZUMARU..!!!" cries Akane, "[GASPS]" she turn around. .the stranger walk towards her....holding the katana....

Akane : "....pl...pl..eas..e..."

Her eyes are full of innocence......very sad. Trembling. Helpless...
and she's only a kid.

The stranger lifts up his katana........

[THUNDER]

The lightning flashes...and you can see there's a RED small orb and a rope in the katana's handle...

Then the stranger STRIKES..!!!!!

[CLASH]

Akane isn't hurt. Hoahmaru is here!! He is just there in time to stop the stranger.....defending the girl using his sword...

Hoahmaru : "Hmm..never seen you around before." said Hoahmaru, grinning, "you ok, kids??"

Shizumaru : "....." Shizu gets up, his head hurts like hell..

The stranger jumps and make a back flip......away from Hoahmaru.

Hoahmaru : "TIME TO TEACH YOU A LESSON!!!" Hoahmaru attacks the stranger, and they start fighting...

Shizu and Akane stands aside....watching them fight. Especially Shizu. He's very impressed the way Hoahmaru beats the crap outta that stranger.... a little bloody but he likes it.

Hoahmaru : "SONGETSUZAN..!!!!!" Hoahmaru makes a vertical mid air slash, hits the stranger and knock him to the ground.....

The stranger gets up, but not exactly wounded. Only a little. But he gives up and disappears...

Hoahmaru : "Hmm..?? Where'd he go?" said Hoahmaru, scratching his head..

Jubei : "AKANE..!!!!" Jubei calls on his daughter..

Akane : "DADDY!!" Akane runs to his side..

Shizumaru : "..." Shizu watches her go. His head still hurts..

Jubei hugs his daughter...

Jubei : "I'm SO GLAD YOU'RE OK..!!!! If something happens to you.............."

Hoahmaru : "What the hell happened here, Jubei?" said Hoahmaru, "Who was that asshole? Doesn't look like Zankuro.."

Jubei : "....." Jubei gets up, "It's NOT Zankuro..."

Then he walks away............

Jubei : "C'mon Akane...we're leaving.."

Akane : "......." Akane didn't question him at all. But she knows if she leaves, She'll never come back........

Shizumaru : "..Akane.." whispers Shizu, standing there.

[raining continues]

Akane didn't say anything. She leaves with Jubei, walking by his side. Then she turns her face around to Shizu, her eyes full of sadness..not wanting to go......

Then they're gone....

That was the LAST TIME Shizu saw her....

Hoahmaru : "YOUR WELCOME, JUBEI!!!!!!" shouts Hoahmaru, "...asshole." Then he scratches his head, "..hmm..didn't know he had a daughter.."

Then he walks away...

Shizu stands there in the rain....thinking. Then he turns around to Hoahmaru.

Shizumaru : "Mr.Hoahmaru..!!! WAIT..!!!" He went after him, "MR.HOAHMARU...I HAVE A FAVOR TO ASK OF YOU!!!"

Hoahmaru : "A FAVOR?? Hahahaha. You broke into my bath room and made me chase after you wearing nothing but a towel and YOU want me to do you a favor?? Hahahaha" laughs Hoahmaru

Shizumaru : "But PLZ, MR.HOAHMARU!!!" said Shizu, "CAN YOU TEACH ME????"

Hoahmaru : "Teach you what?"

Shizumaru : "....." Shizu doesn't want to say it.....then he finally did, "I WANT TO BE A STRONG WARRIOR AND A SWORDSMAN LIKE YOU!!!!!!!!"

Hoahmaru : "...!!!!"

Hoahmaru stops..............

Hoahmaru : "What did you say?"

Shizumaru : "I WANT TO BE SAMURAI, MR. HOAHMARU!!! I want to learn how to fight and the way of the sword..!!!!" said Shizu, "I want to avenge my parents and my village...I WANT TO BE A SAMURAI!!"

Hoahmaru turns around, and gets serious

Hoahmaru : "Kid...do you know what you're saying??? A Samurai?? You're only a...KID!!! A Samurai is more than just fighting. It's a lonely life. In battles, it's either life or death. You have to feel blood, pain, cuts, etc....BIG BOO-BOOS..!!! You don't want to be a Samurai..!! You got your childhood going on now...you don't want to be like me."

Shizumaru : "I DON'T CARE.!!! PLZ, MR.HOAHMARU!!! My parents were killed by Zankuro and I have no one!!!! I want to avenge them..!! I WANT TO BE A SAMURAI..!!!" shouts Shizu

Hoahmaru : "......." Hoahmaru hesitates, then he sighs, "ok....follow me.....BUT IT WILL BE LIKE DIGGING YOUR GRAVE!!!."

Shizumaru : "Shizu smiles, and follows him, "THANX, MR.HOAHMARU!!!!"

Hoahmaru : "First, we gotta teach you how to talk like a Samuria....do NOT ever call me "mister". makes me sound old."

Shizumaru :"Got it."

Ever since then, Hoahmaru taught Shizu everything he knows.....how to fight, etc. Shizu is clumsy most of time....can't even handle a katana. But he have lots of confidence....each year always thinking about defeating Zankuro....his anger makes him a better fighter each day.......and he grew over the years...

Chapter 5.....No Longer A Kid....

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