Hey, everybody! I'm baaaack! LOL.

Well, as you can see, I decided to redo this story. Why? For one, I hated the way Hikaru turned out (I hadn't planned it that way…). For another, I didn't do my homework on Japanese culture during this time and made a lot of mistakes (as I pointed out before in the old chapters). Yeah. Basically, this story was a total mess.

Some changes made: Shinpachi isn't such a pervert (don't know why I did that in the first place...); Hikaru isn't an extreme feminist/sexist, whatever you wanna call it (that was totally out of my control...she just developed that way...). She doesn't particularly hate men; she just has a rough past with them and resents them (not the whole "being raped" or slave thing you usually expect from stories like these. The prologue sort of explains it…sort of…). Basically, she's just defensive and uptight when it comes to men. She's also not from Okinawa.

Anyways, on to the story! . The prologue will be in the third person POV, but the rest of the story will be in first. This story is angsty, but being me, there will be humor added to the mix as well with the romance. I'll also try and keep as little Japanese in this as I can. But I'm gonna use the honorifics. And also the names will be in "Family Name, Personal Name" order.

BTW, thanks everyone who had reviewed the last old chapter of Because of You!

Disclaimer (and the only one I will do): I do not own Peacemaker Kurogane. It belongs to Nanae Kurono (Chrono).


Prologue

The sound of crunching leaves could be heard as a lone girl ran as hard as she could, weaving in and out of the dense sea of trees. Her golden locks whipped at her bare shoulders and face as she turned abruptly at random corners, trying to shake off her pursuers. Her lungs muscles screamed for oxygen, but she kept at it, instead forcing herself to run even faster. She knew she was almost at her body's limit, but her legs seemed to have a mind of their own.

Coming to a clearing, she stopped to catch her breath. For the first time she noticed her breathing was very painful and shallow. Her lungs burned more so than when she had actually been running. Several stumps from cut trees seemed to call out to her, tempting her to rest and relax. But she knew she couldn't stay long. She was merely a child still, and her short legs could only carry her so far at a time. An adult, however, could travel much further and faster because of their long legs. She knew her chasers would catch up to her at any moment.

So she ran again.

It seemed like hours that she was playing this game of cat and mouse with those samurai, or more appropriately ronin. They weren't worthy or the name "samurai" after what they had done. They took everything dear to her. She wasn't sure if her family was still alive or not. Her brother had told her to run and not to look back. Despite her pleas to stay and help them fight, her family had ignored her; instead, they protected her and bought her some time to escape. That's when she realized even if she did stay, she would have been no use to them. Her skill with a sword wasn't at a point where she could hold her own against those ronin.

After an hour or so of stopping and starting, she was definitely beyond exhaustion. It was a wonder she hadn't passed out yet. She knew she had to hide if she wanted to stay alive, but where? Most of the trees and foliage weren't thick enough to hide her body, despite being significantly thin for her age. Her mind and pulse raced as she multitasked in running and finding some place to hide.

Her eyes widened and her spirited soared when she found a particularly old and large tree in a clearing just as large. Judging by her surroundings, she guessed she had reached the heart of the forest.

Familiar shouts and the pounding of feet alerted her to attention. She quickly ducked behind the tree and crouched low, tucking her arms behind her head.

She heard voices nearing towards her. They would find her sooner or later. But she wouldn't give in. Not willingly. Still, she wondered if she did manage to escape their grasp where she would go. There was almost no doubt in her mind that if those ronin were after her that her family had already been finished. Having no family or any other close relatives to turn to, she would be homeless and reduced to a beggar, a peasant. She hated the thought of sinking so low, but if it would keep her alive, at least to get revenge, then she would do it.

Anyways, simply giving in because of her pride would be a disgrace to her family and their sacrifices would have been in vain. She didn't want to throw away their selfless acts for her own selfish needs. That's what she believed, anyway.

Taunting calls of her name reached her ears. Those voices attempted to coax her into the open with what she knew to be empty promises of food, shelter, and safety. Oh, how she wanted to just yell and scream and punch all of them. She took one silent breath to calm herself, though it did almost nothing to help her racing heart; her blood pounded so painfully in her ears and chest, she was certain that the men after her could hear it.

The voices neared. Her heart felt like it was about ready to explode. She resisted the urge to scream and whimper, though it was tempting.

She shut her eyes tightly. Like moving pictures, her life flashed before her eyes. From the time she had first learned to speak, the time she had practiced with a sword for a first time, then to the time that she had believed she had finally bested her elder brother in a sparring match. The thoughts made her want to cry. But again she resisted the urge.

Big brother…help me.


A/N: Well? How was it? Bad, good, indifferent? Tell me! Please review! And I know this is reeeallly short, but it's just a prologue.

BTW, when I catch up, I will be updating later and later. One because this is a second priority story. Two because I have marching band practices/games/competitions, and high school to deal with. Joy. Though I have a sort of urge to write this story. I don't know. I'll see what happens.

If I do make a mistake on something, please continue to correct me, okay? I'd greatly appreciate it! .

-Serena