Rimururu : "...SHIZUMARU..!!!"   Rimururu is nervous...

She wanted to help, But because Shizu isn't going to, She can't either. She bites her lips, very nervous....

Rimururu : , "SHIZUMARU...PLEASE..!!! They'll get killed if we don't help out.!!"

Shizumaru : "........." Shizu nods his head, "...it's none of my business. Help if you want."

Rimururu : "..!!! FINE..THEN I WILL..!!" Rimururu went to join Galford and Kazuki....

Shizu watches her go, but didn't do anything.

Sogetsu : "...YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE LEFT THE CLAN, KAZUKI!!!!" shouts Sogetsu, hitting his katana against Kazuki's...

Kazuki : "WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM??? OUR SISTER HAZUKI WAS IN TROUBLE..!!! WHY WON'T YOU LEAVE US ALONE???" Shouts Kazuki, struggling to defend himself 

[CLASH] 

He backs off....

Kazuki : "WE ARE FAMILY, DAMN IT..!!!"

Sogetsu : "The ninja clan IS family..!!" Shouts Sogetsu, and attacks again..!!

"STOP!!!!!!!" Shouts a girl voice...

It's Rimururu....

Rimururu : "DON'T HURT THEM PLEASE..!!"

Sogetsu :"...It's the girl..." whispers Sogetsu, almost lost his guard...

Galford : "RIMURURU..!! STAY AWAY..!!! IF YOU GET HURT... NAKORURU WILL.." said Galford, wounded....

Rimururu ignored him, and attacks..!! 

Sogetsu quickly backs off, and instantly attacks with his katana..!!

Rimururu : "[GASPS]"  Rimururu gasps. It's too late.....

....

[CLASH]

Rimururu :"...??" Rimururu isn't hurt, "[GASP]"

It's Shizumaru. He came and defend her using his umbrella.

Sogetsu backs off. He looks around. He has to fight Galford, Kazuki, Shizumaru...and perhaps, Rimururu. That's four people against one.

Kazuki :"You're outnumbered, Sogetsu. Still want to fight?"

Shizumaru :"..." Shizu stare at Sogetsu with anger. Ready to attack...

Sogetsu hesitates. He doesn't mind fighting a 100 hundred samurais...!! But it's Rimururu. He doesn't want to hurt her. He walks away....

Sogetsu :"NEXT TIME, KAZUKI. Next time.."

Then he's gone...

Kazuki :"YEA....BETTER LEAVE, JACKASS..!!!" Shouts Galford, feeling better now.

"[BARK!!] [BARK!!]"  Poppy barks.......

Hazuki:  "KAZUKI..!!" shouts Hazuki, his sister, run to his side.

Kazuki turn to Galford and the others.......

Kazuki : "Thank you strangers. I'm sorry for  my misjudgments..Its just that they NEVER leave us alone.."

Rimururu : "Hmm...are you and Sogetsu family?"

Kazuki : "......" Kazuki doesn't want to answer that......

Hazuki is sad...

Hazuki : "...they're brothers. and I'm their sister.."

"??!!!!" they freak out, thought they didn't hear that..

Kazuki : "Yea...Sogetsu is my older bro." said Kazuki, "But it's different now. He will do anything to kill me...and perhaps Hazuki too.." Then he shouts, "BUT HELL NO!!!!!! I WON'T LET HIM..!!! HE'LL HAVE TO FIGHT THROUGH ME IF HE WANTS HAZUKI........OUCH..!!!"

He falls on the ground, bleeding even more...

Hazuki : "Kazuki..!!" Hazuki is very worried...

Shizu watches them for a minute, then he whispers in a low voice......

Shizumaru : "...Run......"

Kazuki : "???"

Shizumaru : "He'll probably come back for you later." said Shizu, "there's a village not far from here...tell Lord Shabu-Shabu that I send you. He'll probably protect you from Sogetsu and heal your wounds."

Then Shizu puts his umbrella on his shoulder, "...good luck." then he walks away...........................................................................

Rimururu : "SHIZUMARU..!!! Aaahh..not again..!!" freaks Rimururu, and ran after him,

: "WAIT FOR US..!!!"

Galford : "YO..!!! RED-HEAD..!! HOLD UP, DUDE!!!" shouts Galford, and runs after them...

Kazuki watches them leave........

Kazuki : "....Hmm..."

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

[Birds chirping]

The sun is setting, night is coming. Birds flies to find a place to sleep for the night........

A bird flies past Shizu....

Shizumaru : ".....?" Shizu turns his head, watching the bird flies high in the clouds.....

The wind blows gently.....

Shizumaru : "...." Shizu smiles a little at the bird.....

It's so peaceful..... there's no fighting. No blood. And best of all, NO RIMURURU. That girl always follows him, and that pisses him off cuz she's always in trouble, and HE have to go and save her. But he doesn't know why he have to save her though.... he felt something very strange in his heart. What is it?  He never felt this before....

Shizumaru : "???" Shizu saw something falling softly toward him....

One of the bird's feathers fall toward him. He grabs the feather, holding it in his hands....

Shizumaru : "...This looks...familiar..." Whispers Shizu, staring at the feather....

Feathers. That sounds VERY familiar...something from his childhood. But what is it again? He can't seem to remember..!! He knows it have to do with a girl in his past. The girl has a..........PENDANT... They made a promise. What was it again? He hates himself when he can't remember what his past is again, since he never mentioned it, it slowly drifts away from his mind.

Could Rimururu be that girl..???  Maybe.....But doesn't look like her...

Shizumaru : "Huh?" Shizu looks up

A girl in blue is running towards him. It's Rimururu...

Shizumaru : "Awww...damn.." whispers Shizu

Rimururu : "SHIZUMARRRUUUUUUUUU..!!!!!!" She stops to a halt, and bents down to catch her breath....

Rimururu : "[breath]...you..[breath]...are...so..[breath]"

Galford : "HEY RED-HEAD..!!" Galford and Poppy joins them, "what the hell is wrong with you, kid??! Do you leave your own allies like that?"

Shizumaru : "Allies?" blinks Shizu, "...look, I'm a rurouni(a person who always goes alone without any friends or allies)........."

Galford : "Yea, We know."

Shizumaru : "Meaning.....I'm a loner..."

Galford : "Yea, we know that too."

Shizumaru : "[SIGHS]" Shizu sighs, feels like they don't really understand, "Meaning....I work ALONE? I would appreciate A LOT if you let me do that..ok?"

Galford : "But we're your friends...!!"

Shizumaru : "???!! Friends??" freaks Shizu, "We only met in one day and you don't even know me and you said we're..FRIENDS??? I don't HAVE ANY FRIENDS, and I like that way. NEVER EVER EVER CALL ME, FRIEND....!!"

(????????) : "HEY FRIEND.!!!!!!!!!!!!" Shouts a man voice.....

They turn around. It's Kazuki. He's all healed up and everything..

Shizumaru : "Oh no.." whispers Shizu

Rimururu : "Hey Kazuki!!" smiles Rimururu

Shizumaru : "Aren't you suppose to STAY in that village?"

Kazuki : "Well......suppose to..."

Then in a sudden..HE GRABS SHIZU'S HEAD WITH HIS ARM, RUBBING SHIZU'S HEAD WITH THE OTHER HAND....!!!

Shizumaru : "WHAAAAAAAAA...??!!!!" Shizu freaks out, as Kazuki rub his hand on Shizu's HEAD..!!!

Kazuki : "HAHAHA...!!!! YOU'RE A GREAT KID..!!!! IF IT WASN'T YOU, ME AND HAZUKI WOULDN'T BE ALIVE BY NOW..!!!!!!" Laughs Kazuki, "BECAUSE OF THAT, I DECIDED TO HELP YOU ON YOUR LITTLE MISSION TO FIND THAT KIDNAPPING BASTARD..!!!! ISN'T THAT GREAAAAAATTTTTT????!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHHAHAAHAHAHHA"

Shizumaru : "???!!!!!!" Shizu is shocked......

Then Kazuki lets him go........

Kazuki : "ISN'T THAT COOL??? WE GET TO WORK TOGETHER!!!"

Shizu's hair is messed up, like it has a cat fight....

Shizumaru : "....nooo wayy..."

Rimururu : "YEAA..!! WE GOT A NEW ALLY..!!! A FIRE WARRIOR..!!!! YEAA..!!!" giggles Rimururu, clapping her hands in joy, "ISN'T THAT GREAT, SHIZUMARU??!!"

Shizumaru : ".....I knew I shouldn't have helped him.." whispers Shizu

Kazuki is a bit sad.......

Kazuki : "Besides..Sogetsu never gives up. I know him. He'll come back for me....again and again until he kills me. This will bring danger to my sister..so I must leave her in the village where it's safe. As long as I'm on the move, he won't find me easily..especially with you guys around!!"

Galford : "YOU CAN COUNT ON US..!!! That guy is such a jerk..!!" smiles Galford, "It's getting dark...we should find some place to rest for the night."

Shizumaru : "No kidding." said Shizu, "Stay here and chat or do whatever you want....I'm out of here.." Then he walks away again.....................................................................................................

Rimururu : "HEYY..!! SHIZUMARU..!!! WAIT FOR US..!!!!" shouts Rimururu, and ran after him......

Kazuki : "Does that kid always leave his allies behind??" said Kazuki, to Galford then they catches up with the others....

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

They found a spot to rest for the night. It's somewhere in the woods. It's midnight now. They sit around a warm fire in the middle. Galford sits there petting Poppy, who sleeps soundly on his lap. Rimururu sits politely, energetic as usual. Kazuki chats with them. and Shizu...he is sitting on a fallen tree trunk, in the shadows...away from the others....

Rimururu : "I think the fire is going out soon.." whispers Rimururu

As the fire is burning little and little...

Kazuki : "NAH..!!!" Kazuki hits his fire katana into the ground..!!

[WHOOSH!!]

The fire is lively again..!!! VERY...

Galford : "WHOA..!!!" freaks Galford, "Damn....your ninja clan ROCKS..!! I want to join..!!"

Kazuki : "..." Kazuki is sad, "No..you don't. You have no idea how it feels to be hunted everyday every year....by your own sibling..."

Rimururu : "I LOVE MY SISTER, NAKORURU..!! She's very strong and nice." smiles
Rimururu,"but she's gone now..just to save nature. I'm now in her place, the Ainu maiden."

Galford : "Damn...I got a lot of relatives. Cousins, brothers, sisters...WHOA." said Galford, "but anyways, they are cool. Except they annoying at times. I kinda miss them though.." then he turns to Shizu, "HEY, RED-HEAD..!! WHAT ABOUT YOU?? You haven't said one word since we got here..!! What about your family?? How many siblings you have?"

Shizumaru : "..." Shizu hesitates, then he lowers his head, "...family...?"

Galford : "YEA, DON'T YA GOT ONE?? Everyone has one...!! And families is the MOST important thing ever."

Shizumaru : "...family....." whispers Shizu, then he said, "...I don't have a family."

Then he lays down, going to sleep...

Galford : "...???" Galford doesn't get it.......

Rimururu : "Galford..!!! You stupid..!! Didn't you remember I told you Shizumaru is an orphan??!" said Rimururu, "His family was all killed by Zankuro when he was a baby....."

Galford : "Oh..right.." whispers Galford, scratching his head....

Kazuki : "[YAWN] Let's call it a day!!! I'm tired now.." yawns Kazuki, "Besides, Shizu might leave us AGAIN without telling us..."

They all agree, and went to sleep....

Galford : "Hey Rimururu."

Rimururu : "Yea?"

Galford : "Ya know what..."

Rimururu : "What?"

Galford : "Your sister Nakoruru......she's HOT."

Rimururu : "....whatever.."

Then they went to sleep......

....

[silence]

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

Shizumaru wasn't asleep at all. He turns and lays on his back. His head facing the night sky. The night, full of stars. This also looks familiar...where did he saw this? With who? His red eyes are full of pain.... when Galford reminds him of his family, he doesn't even know his family. Or remember ANYTHING of it. That's strange. All he can remember is the scream and the blood. His mother's blood on his face. Nothing else. And another woman holding him...he remember he saw a beautiful pendant she's wearing. With little aura inside the pendant, like northern lights. She looks very peaceful, very angel like. Who is she..? He can't remember anything much of his past. Only flashbacks. What causes him to have amnesia? How does it feel to be in a mother's arms again? He can't remember any of it. Does it feel good? Or bad? How many siblings does he have? How was his father like, a strong samurai like him? When will he find all these answers to these questions...when can he finally end his journey by solving just ONE question he had since he little; ....IS HE REALLY A DEMON......?

Chapter 8........After the Caped Man...

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