Shizumaru and Akane run as fast as their little feet can take them....away from the inn. away from the village. they ran all the way into the bamboo forest...and stops.
"...do you think we made it?" whispers Akane, trying to catch her breath.. "running from the inn ALL THE WAY to the forest..." whispers Shizu, "yep." Akane smiles, "i guess that Hoahmaru is too fat to run after us..!! he can never catch us..!!" then she looks around, "where's Shogun?"
"..." Shizu doesn't see him, "i guess...he left us behind."
"oh great..." whispers Akane, and sits down on a rock, "ouch..my knee..."
"huh?" Shizu didn't notice she got hurt back at the inn. he look at the cut, "it's bleeding...some medicine would help."
"hmm.." Akane looks around, then she turn to Shizu, "we're in a bamboo forest, right?"
"yes."
"ALL RIGHT!!! we can get the medicine!!"
"how?"
"my house isn't very far away from here. we can get the medicine from my house!" smiles Akane, "but let's hurry...i can't stand pain!! IT HURTS..!!"

"hmm..where could Akane be? school should be over by now.." said Jubei, inside his house. Hanzo and Kyoshiro is with him..
"i should and get her...it is a dangerous world out there." said Jubei, and tries to find his katanas...
"calm down, old man!!! she'll be fine!!" said Kyoshiro, "hey, old man...Akane is not really your daughter..is she? you had a wedding without inviting ME??!! what's a celebration without GOOD ENTERTAINMENT???"
"i didn't get married."
"WHAT??!!!!! YOU HIRED A PROSTITUTE???!!!!"
"NOOO..!!!" shouts Jubei, and lowers his head, "...it's a long story. i promised her mother Julia to take care of her...and that's what i'm doing." "so..i don't get it. you got a kid and you didn't tell us about it..?? what's up with that??" said Kyoshiro, "WHAT DO U THINK, HANZO??"
"...." Hanzo didn't say anything..
"we might have to move again soon." said Jubei, "for Akane's sake.."
"...." Hanzo ignores them. he's staring outside from the window. then he saw 2 kids coming this way, "....your daughter isn't alone."
"???" Jubei went to the window, and saw Akane and Shizumaru. he's happy to see Akane..but Shizumaru, that's different. Jubei have heard bout this "demon child" and he knows about his village and Zankuro.
Jubei quickly went outside and to Akane and Shizu...

"thanx for everything, Shizumaru!" smiles Akane, as Shizu helps her, "i knew you'll turn back and come save me when Hoahmaru tries to get us..." "..." Shizu stare at her, don't really understand what she meant by that "i wanna show you a place!!! the "secret" place..!!!" "where is it?" "i'll show it to you AT NOON, before the sun sets!!!" smiles Akane "AKANE!!!!!" it's Jubei.
"FATHER..!!" Akane smiles, and run to her dad, and hugs him. Shizu stood there, watching them...how come he never felt that feeling before? welcomed by a family member? how does it feel..? Shizu never knew his parents. all he remembers from his past is that his parents and village were destroyed by Zankuro. the rest of his past...the face of his mom and dad....everyone...everything...is nothing but a blurr to him.
"Akane..!!! you're knee..!! you're hurt..!!" said Jubei, "WHAT HAPPENED??" "well...." Akane hesitates..
Jubei saw Shizu, "YOU!!!!!"
"????" Shizu blinks, don't understand..
"YES, YOU!!!!! DEMON CHILD..!!!!! YOU DID THIS TO MY DAUGHTER..!!!" shouts Jubei, "YOU HURT AKANE..!!!! HOW DARE YOU???!!!"
"!!!! noo..!!!" Shizu shakes his head, very surprised
"father...!!! Shizumaru didn't..."
"SO YOU HAVE A NAME, DEMON?? SHIZUMARU???? HA HA HA. WHAT KINDA NAME IS THAT FOR A DEMON???" laughs Jubei, then he gets angry, "STAY AWAY FROM AKANE, SHIZUMARU!!! OR I WON'T BE MERCIFUL..!!!"
he pulls out his 2 katanas...
Shizu backs off, afraid...
"FATHER..!!! NO..!!" Akane stops Jubei, "Shizumaru is the one who brought me here..!! please don't hurt him...!! pleeeassseeee??? daddy???"
"..." Jubei saw his daughter's cute big eyes....as if she's going to cry. then Jubei put the weapons back, "Akane..let's go back into the house."
"but father.."
"GO BACK...NOW."
"..." Akane is sad. she obeys and walks away...
Jubei stare at Shizu for a minute, then he left. not far away, a caped stranger watches them...

It's almost midnight. the sun is setting. Shizu went to Akane's house by himself....sneeked out from the Monastery.
"...??" Shizu looks around...Akane isn't here. maybe she's in the house? but if he goes inside, Jubei will see him and get angry again..
"HEY SHIZUMARU..!!!" shouts a little girl voice. it's Akane. she was hiding behind the bamboo shoots, "c'mon..THIS WAY..!!"
"??" Shizu is curious, and follows her...

they have been walking for hours and hours in the forest.....Akane still haven't told Shizu where she's taking him...
then finally, they reach a beautiful meadow. there are blooming flowers and tall grass everywhere....like an ocean of flowers of all kinds of colors.
"THIS IS IT." said Akane, and turn to Shizu, "C'mon..!!" then she ran to the Meadow..!
"...wait Akane..!!" Shizu follows her
Akane runs around the meadow, very happy. then she stops and turn around, waiting for Shizu to catch up w/ her, "ISN'T THIS PLACE...BEAUTIFUL???!!"
"..yea. this is a meadow.."
"yes. my FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WHOOOLLEE WORLD!!" smiles Akane, and lays her body down in the grass, "me and my mommy and daddy used to come here ALL THE TIME..!! it's the best place ever... especially to my mommy. she love to come here everyday. she said she can listen to "spirits" here..."
"spirits???" blinks Shizu, "what's that?"
"...i donna. she always talks to spirits... i can't. my mommy said i will one day.." said Akane, then she's sad, ".....but she gone now..my daddy said she went to heaven. and she did!! i saw her..!!!"
Shizu sits down next to her, "saw her..? your mother..? but how..isn't she dead?"
"yes...but i saw her. SHE HAVE WINGS..!!!" smiles Akane, very excited, "and i can feel her talking to me sometimes..feel her near me."
"...." Shizu stare at Akane, don't really understand. how could dead people have wings? there's no such thing as heaven. how could Akane feel her dead mother presence when her mom is gone....?
"...and your parents. they were killed by Zankuro, right?" said Akane
"...yes. that's all i can remember...but how did you know?"
".....don't worry. you will avenge your parents one day.." whispers Akane, then she is sad, "..me and my dad are moving away again.."
"moving??! to where?" Shizu is surprised..
"i donna...somewhere far, away from all these fighting....and Zankuro."
"...so we might never see each other again.." whispers Shizu. he's sad cuz he FINALLY made a friend, and he have to leave her so soon..
there's a silent....both of them didn't say anything. the wind blows.....the sun sets. the sky is getting darker and darker by the minute...
"..." Shizu hesitates, then he turn to Akane, "no, we will see each other."
"???"
"you see this place? the Meadow..?" said Shizu, getting up, "i'll be here."
then he turn to Akane, "yes, i will be here waiting for YOU."
"..the Meadow?"
"yes. if you come here..." said Shizu, as the wind blows pass him...his hair and his body, "..you'll see me again. I PROMISE."

a wishing star flies pass them....


Chapter 4-----The Beginning of the Samuria..