"...SHIZUMARU..!!!" Rimururu is nervous. they've been watching galford and kazuki fighting sogetsu for awhile.... and they're losing the battle. she wanted to help, but because shizu isn't going to, she can't either. she bites her lips, very nervous, "SHIZUMARU...PLEASE..!!! they'll get killed if we don't help out.!!"
"..." Shizu nods his head, "...it's none of my business. help if you want."
"..!!! FINE..THEN I WILL..!!" Rimururu went to join galford and kazuki.
Shizu watches her go, but didn't do anything.

"...YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE LEFT THE CLAN, KAZUKI!!!!" shouts sogetsu, hitting his katana against Kazuki's...
"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, "WE ARE FAMILY, DAMN IT..!!!"
"the ninja clan IS family..!!" shouts Sogetsu, and attacks again..!!
"STOP!!!!!!!" shouts a girl voice
"that voice.." sogetsu hesitated
it's Rimururu, "DON'T HURT THEM PLEASE..!!"
"...it's the girl..." whispers Sogetsu, almost lost his guard.
"RIMURURU..!! STAY AWAY..!!! IF YOU GET HURT... NAKORURU WILL.." said Galford, wounded
Rimururu ignored him, and attacks..!!
Sogetsu quickly backs off, and instinctly attacks with his katana..!!
"[GASPS]" Rimururu gasps. it's too late...

....
[CLASH]

"...??" Rimururu isn't hurt, "[GASP]" it's Shizumaru. he came and defend her using his umbrella.
"..Shizumaru.." whispers Rimururu, very surprised
Sogetsu backs off. he looks around. he have to fight Galford, Kazuki, Shizumaru...and perhaps, Rimururu. that's 4 people against 1.
"you're outnumbered, Sogetsu. still want to fight?" said Kazuki
"..." Shizu stare at him with anger. ready to attack...
Sogetsu hesitates. he doesn't mind fighting a 100 hundred Samuria...!! but it's Rimururu. he doesn't want to hurt her. he walks away, "NEXT TIME, KAZUKI. next time.."
then he's gone...
"YEA....BETTA LEAVE, JACKASS..!!!" shouts Galford, feeling betta now.
"[BARK!!] [BARK!!]" Poppy barks
"KAZUKI..!!" shouts Hazumi, his sister, run to his side.
Kazuki turn to galford and the others, "thank you strangers. i'm sorry for what my misjudgement..its just that they NEVER leave us alone.."
"hmm...are you and sogetsu family?" said Rimururu
".." Kazuki doesn't want to answer that
Hazuki is sad, "...they're brothers. and i'm their sister.."
"??!!!!" they freak out, thought they didn't hear that..
"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!!! FUCK!!! 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...
"Kazuki..!!" Hazuki is very worried...
Shizu watches them for a minute, then he whisper in a low voice, "...run."
"???"
"he'll probab 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 probab protect you from Sogetsu and heal your wounds."
then Shizu put his umbrella on his shoulder, "...good luck." then he walks away...
"SHIZUMARU..!!! aaahh..not again..!!" freaks Rimururu, and ran after him,
"WAIT FOR US..!!!"
"YO..!!! RED-HEAD..!! HOLD UP, DUDE!!!" shouts Galford, and after them...
Kazuki watches them leave, "....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....
"..?" Shizu turn his head, watching the bird flies high in the clouds.....
the wind blows gently.....
"...." 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 piss 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....
"???" Shizu saw something falling softly toward him....
one of the bird's feathers fall toward him. he grab the feather, holding it in his hands.
"...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 hate 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...
"huh?" Shizu looks up. a girl in blue is running toward him. it's Rimururu.
"awww...damn.." whispers Shizu
"SHIZUMARRRUUUUUUUUU..!!!!!!" she stops to an halt, and bent down to catch her breath, "[breath]...you..[breath]...are...so..[breath]"
"HEY RED-HEAD..!!" Galford and Poppy joins them, "what the hell is wrong w/ you, kid??! do you leave your own allies like that?"
"allies?" blinks Shizu, "...look, i'm a rurouni.."
"yea, we know."
"meaning.....i'm a loner..."
"yea, we know that too."
"[SIGHS]" Shizu sighs, feels like they don't understand, "meaning....i work ALONE? i would appreciate A LOT if you let me do that..ok?"
"but we're your friends...!!"
"???!! friends??" freaks Shizu, "we only met in 1 day and you don't even know me and you said we're..FRIENDS??? i don't HAVE 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..
"oh no.." whispers Shizu
"hey Kazuki!!" smiles Rimururu
"aren't you suppose to STAY in that village?" said Shizu
"well...suppose to." said Kazuki, then in a sudden..HE GRAB SHIZU'S HEAD WITH HIS ARM, RUBBING SHIZU'S HEAD WITH THE OTHER HAND....!!!
"WHAAAAAAAAA...??!!!!" Shizu freaks out, as Kazuki rub his hand on his HEAD..!!!
"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 BASTARD..!!!! ISN'T THAT GREAAAAAATTTTTT????!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHHAHAAHAHAHHA"
"???!!!!!!" Shizu is shocked
then Kazuki let him go, "ISN'T THAT COOL??? WE GET TO WORK TOGETHER!!!"
Shizu's hair is messed up, like it has a cat fight, "....nooo wayy..."
"YEAA..!! WE GOT A NEW ALLY..!!! A FIRE WARRIOR..!!!! YEAA..!!!" giggles Rimururu, clapping her hands in joy, "ISN'T THAT GREAT, SHIZUMARU??!!"
".....i knew i shouldn't have helped him.." whispers Shizu
Kazuki is a bit sad, "besides..Sogetsu never gives up. i know him. he'll come back for me....again and again until he kill 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 w/ ya guys around!!"
"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."
"no kidding." said Shizu, "stay here and get chat or whatever you want....i'm out of here.." then he walks away again....
"HEYY..!! SHIZUMARU..!!! WAIT FOR US..!!!!" shouts Rimururu, and ran after him
"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 (duh? they are 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....
"i think the fire is going out soon.." whispers Rimururu, as the fire is burning little and little...
"NAH..!!!" Kazuki hits his fire katana into the ground..!!
[WHOOSH!!] the fire is lively again..!!! VERY...
"WHOA..!!!" freaks Galford, "damn....your ninja clan ROCKS..!! i want to join..!!"
"..." Kazuki is sad, "no..you don't. you have no idea how it feels to be hunted everyday every year....by your own sibling..."
"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."
"damn...i got a lot of relatives. cousins, brothers, sisters...WHOA." said Galford, "but anyways, they cool. except they annoying at times. i kinda miss them though.." then he turn to Shizu, "HEY, RED-HEAD..!! WHAT BOUT YOU?? you haven't said one word since we got here..!! what bout your family?? how many siblins you have?"
"..." Shizu hesitates, then he lowers his head, "...family...?"
"YEA, DON'T YA GOT ONE?? everyone has one...!! and family is the MOST important thing ever."
"...family....." wihspers Shizu, then he said, "...i don't have a family."
then he lay down, going to sleep...
"...???" Galford doesn't get it
"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....."
"oh..right.." whispers Galford, scratching his head
"[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....
"hey Rimururu." said Galford
"yea?"
"ya know what..."
"what?"
"your sister Nakoruru......she's HOT."
"....whatever.."
then they went to sleep...
....
[silence]
"..." Shizu wasn't asleep at all. he turn and lay 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 cause 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 samuria 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