"As a member of this clan, the four of you cannot disobey direct orders from our king." Masuna says, looking down at the four of us. "And as such, you will bring the traitor to me." He says.
"Yes." The four of us say.
"Go!" He says, making a gesture with his hand. The four of us disappear.
"So, what do you think Masuna meant by that?" One of the four says. I look at them with a sigh.
"I suggest, if you don't want to be in danger, you don't talk about that kind of stuff anymore." I say. The other three glare at me.
"Just because you're babied by him doesn't mean you have the right to talk down to us." One says. I look at them.
"Yeah well..." I say with a shrug. The other three look at each other, and sneer.
They get to a clearing, and decide to split up.
"You go that way, and we'll go this way." Another one of the group says. I nod, and run off.
"We'll let her take care of them." The guy with the blonde hair says. The other two nod, and run off.
Meanwhile, I'm running through the forest.
"I wonder if he's as strong as they say..." I mutter to myself. I stop when I hear someone talking.
"Argh! Why the hell does he do this? He knows that it's MY money!" The girl with the blonde hair mutters as she walks towards the forest.
"It can't be!" I say, looking at the gun the other woman is holding. I jump to the ground, and walk towards the woman.
"What the hell are you doing here?" A voice says from behind me. I smile.
"Kyo!" I say. He looks down at me.
"What are you thinking, Kanashii?" He questions in a serious voice. She looks up at him.
"I wasn't expecting to run into the demon child." I say. He shakes his head.
"Why do I not believe that?" He questions, looking down at me with his red hair. She grins.
"You know me too well." I say, shaking my head. "You're right, though." I look up at them seriously. "I'm here trying to find Nozomu's sister." I say. Kyo's eyes narrow.
"Stop looking." Kyo demands. I sigh.
"I wish I could, but..." I pull my sleeve up, exposing a strange cross shaped mark.
"Masuna's mark..." Kyo says. I nod as I let my sleeve fall back to its original place.
"Yes." I look up at him. "So, how have you been?" I ask. We both look when we hear someone walking towards us. I look at the woman strangely when she walks out of the bushes with a branch in her hair.
"Hey Kyo...how much longer d-" She stops talking when she sees me. "Who're you?" She questions, pulling out her gun. I look at her.
"If you can't shoot within a second, I suggest not doing that." Kyo says. The woman looks at him before lowering her gun.
"Okay, well..." She looks at me. "Who is that?" She questions.
"You know, woman, you're kind of demanding." I look over my shoulder at Kyo. "And I can't believe you just stand there, and TAKE it!" I mutter, confused. Kyo shakes his head.
"You sound just like Kyo!" The woman says in a slightly annoyed voice. I smile.
"Thank you." I say. She shakes her head in exasperation.
"I don't understand it!" She shouts, throwing her arms in the air. I watch as she stalks off.
"You sure choose some STRANGE companions, Kyo." I say, looking at the woman.
"She's not my companion. She's just a woman that is following me." Kyo says. He pulls his blade away, and sheathes it.
"So, tell me. What happened to your previous posse?" I ask, running a hand through my hair.
"We broke apart." Kyo says, turning, and sitting on the ground against a tree. I walk towards him, and sit down next to him.
"Well, that's something I never thought I'd hear." I say, looking up at the sky.
We sit there for a little while.
"Hey, Kyo?" I ask. He looks at me.
"What?" He demands.
"Are you falling for that woman?" I ask. He glares at me, and I smile up at him. "Well?" I question.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Kyo says, smiling menacingly down at me. I lift my hands up in surrender.
"Hey, just thought I'd ask." I smile. "Won't Akari be mad when she finds out?" I ask. Kyo sighs.
"He'll get over it." He says. We both look when we see the bushes move.
"What the hell are you doing, woman?" I question. The woman walks out of the bush.
"Would you call me by my REAL name?" The woman shouts angrily.
"Boy, you sure choose weird ones, Kyo!" I say, shaking my head. I jump out of the way when a blade goes by my. "Struck a nerve, did I?" I ask, grinning at Kyo's angry face. I flip my sword around, and stand in a fighting position. I pull out a band, and wrap it around my eyes.
"What is she doing?" The woman questions.
"Kanashii is actually blind in her left eye." Kyo says. I hear Yuya gasp.
"I forgot you know." I say, smiling. Kyo laughs.
"How can I forget that one of my servants has a disability?" Kyo questions.
"What!" Yuya yells. I turn my head toward her.
"Are you surprised that I used to be part of Kyo's team?" I ask. She shakes her head.
"Enough, Kanashii." Kyo demands. I grin, and turn back toward him.
"You don't want her to know?" I ask as I run toward him. "Then you have to fight me!" I say, smiling. Kyo smiles, and runs at me as well.
"You want a fight? Then bring it on!" Kyo shouts.
We fight for a while until we hear someone scream. Kyo turns around, and looks at the woman. I drop my blade so it's leaning against the ground.
"What the hell is your problem, woman?" I question. She looks at me in confusion.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Why do you fight with Kyo?" She questions. I look at her.
"Because that's the way we've always been..." I say with a shrug. I look at the sky. "Ever since that day."
"That day?" The woman questions. Kyo looks at me with a 'shut up' look.
"Sorry, but that's something I'm not going to chance my health for." I say, smiling.
"Your...health?" She questions. I smile, and look at her.
"Trust me. I'm in danger if I reveal it." I nod my head toward Kyo. When she looks at Kyo, and sees the warning, her face becomes one of understanding.
"Come on, Ugly. We're leaving." Kyo says. I look at him in confusion until I see the woman run toward him.
*He called her...* I watch as they walk away. As soon as they're out of sight, I smile, and turn around.
"So, tell me...did you get enough info for your master?" I question as I hear leaves rustling.
"You've done well." I hear a voice say. I lean against a tree, and sit down.
"Good to know. Now, I think I'm done with my work." I say. He jumps down, and stands in front of me. I open my eyes, and look at him. "Am I right, Shinrei?" I question. He looks at me with a critical eye.
"And what would make you think that?" He asks. I look at him.
"I told Masura that I was done after this one." I say. He looks at me with a smile.
"But you haven't finished. We were told to get rid of Muramasa, and gather info on the Demon Child." He says. I look at the sky.
"I refuse to kill Muramasa." I say in an emotionless voice.
"Have a bit of sympathy for your..." I glare at him, and he stops.
"That has absolutely nothing to do with it. There's no sympathy...just a bit of bond that I've never been able to break." I mutter. He looks at me.
"If so, then what good are you to the Mibu Clan?" He says.
"That's exactly why I'm leaving...but for good this time." I say. He shakes his head.
"You know you can't do that." Shinrei says. "They'll hunt you down just like Kyo and Muramasa!" He says, sounding worried. I smile.
"Don't worry. I'm quite capable of taking care of myself." I say. He turns away from me.
"If you do this, we're going to become enemies once again." He says. I smile sadly.
"I know, but I just can't be one of the cursed anymore." I say. Shinrei looks up at the sky as well.
"You've always been too black and white on things." He says, smiling. I smile as well.
"Do me a favor?" I ask. He looks at me in confusion.
"What?" He asks.
"Take care of everyone." I say. He's quiet for a minute before nodding.
"I will." He says just before he disappears. I sigh, and stand up before walking toward the town in the direction Kyo had gone.
I walk into the village around an hour later.
"I wonder where they went..." I wonder as I walk through the streets, looking around. I stop walking, and think for a moment. "If I know Kyo, I bet he'll be..."
"Hey, Ugly! Go get me some sake!" I hear an all too familiar voice shout from one of the buildings. I smile, and walk forward.
"I thought so..." I say with a smile on my face. I walk up to the inn, and walk inside. I walk around the inn, until I run into the woman.
"It's...you!" She shouts, almost dropping the sake bottles. I catch them, and throw them over my shoulder that isn't supporting my sword.
"Yes, it's me." I look around the hallway. "May I join you?" I ask, looking back at her. She's quiet for a moment.
"Uh...sure." She says, sounding confused. "But why would you bother asking?" She wonders, looking even more confused.
*She doesn't realize...* I look at her.
"Just thought I'd be polite. I'm sure you don't get that very often from Kyo." I say, smiling.
"You're right. I don't." She says as she walks forward. "Okay, I'll show you the way." She says. I smile, and follow her.
We get to a room, and I open the door before she has a chance to say anything.
"Hey, you lazy slacker!" I say, collapsing against one of the walls.
"Why did you bring her here?" Kyo demands. I smile.
"Because I asked her to. That..." I throw one of the sake bottles at him. "And I carried your sake." I gulp down a few good drinks on the other one, and smile as he glares at me.
"What do you think you're doing drinking my sake?" Kyo demands. I look at him with a grin.
"Think of it as a labor fee." I say with a shrug, and smile when I see his eyes narrow even more.
"Why are you here?" He demands. I put a finger against my lower lip.
"I want to join your little group." I say in a completely neutral voice. He looks confused for a moment before his eyes narrow in suspicion. He turns to look at the woman.
"Leave." He commands. She glares at him, but leaves none the less.
"I see you're just as pushy as ever." I say with a smile.
"Did they send you?" He demands. I look up at him.
"I quit." I say in a serious voice. He looks at me in confusion.
"And tell me...why would you leave him behind to join me?" He demands. I look away.
"I...I just can't follow their orders anymore, that's all. I wanted to go back to the time that I didn't have to follow any orders." I say.
"Tell me...what did he have to say about you leaving?" Kyo questions. I look at him.
"That we're enemies now." I say in a sad voice. He looks taken aback for a moment.
"You really did quit." He says. I look at him in a strange way before shaking my head.
"I shall never understand your methods, Kyo." I say. He grins.
"No one will." He says.
"Except Akira." I say after debating it for a short time. He looks at me. "Akira has always understood you better than anyone except Muramasa." I explain. As soon as the name comes out of my mouth, I regret it.
"Do not speak of such things!" He commands. I bow my head.
"Forgive me. I did not think before I spoke." I say. He glares at me.
"That better be the case." He says. I look at him.
"It is." I say. He nods, and sits down. "The word came out of my mouth before I could think better of what I was saying." I explain. Kyo shakes his head.
"So." He looks at me. "Where is Akira?" He questions. My eyes widen.
"Trust me when I say you don't want to know." I say. He shakes his head.
"Tell me, Kanashii!" He commands. I sigh, and lean against the wall once again.
"Well..." I begin, and look into his eyes. "He...well...uh...um..." I mutter. Kyo glares at me.
"Spit it out, Kanashii!" He says angrily. I sigh.
"He...he's working to resurrect Nobunaga." I mutter. His eyes narrow.
"That so." He mutters. I nod.
"I ran into him a while back..." I say. Kyo sighs.
"Unreal." He mutters. I sigh.
"He asked me to tell you that he will kill you." I say. Kyo glares at me. I raise my hands. "Not my words." I say. Kyo sighs.
"I find it hard to believe that Akira would betray me." Kyo says. I look at the ceiling.
"He didn't. We all thought you had perished during your battle with Kyoshiro." I say. He glares at me.
"I won't die that easily." He says. I smile.
"I know, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't crossed my mind. That, and Akira felt that you betrayed him when you left." I say. He sighs.
"I always thought he'd take it the hardest when I left." Kyo says. I smile sadly.
"It destroyed him. Botenmaru followed him for nearly a year after that, but he suddenly vanished." I say, sounding lost in thought.
"What happened to everyone?" Kyo asks. I look at him.
"I only know that Botenmaru is trying to gain land for his family." I say in a strange voice. He sighs. "So tell me." I look at him. "Why are you in Kyoshiro's body?" I question. He looks at me.
"Don't worry about it." Kyo says. I shrug.
"Just thought I'd ask." I say.
"Yeah we-" Kyo stops talking when we both hear a crash. We run out of the room...err...Kyo does anyway. I jump out the window. We both get to the source of the crash, and see that the whole front of the inn is destroyed!
"What the hell!" I shout, watching as the cloud of dust disperses, only to see someone standing there. They laugh. I look to see her holding someone.
"Yuya!" Kyo shouts, taking a step forward. The stranger holds something up to Yuya's neck.
"Take one step, and the woman dies!" The stranger shouts, sounding exited.
