Wait...wait...wait...Can't wait anymore! Must write next chapter!

My name is Mori. I am seventeen years old.

I was in a fight for my life just ten minutes ago, with Mitsukai.

She fought hard. But, never having had her life on the line before, she panicked her way into her loss. She would live to see the next day, though. I took her powers, and knocked her out without hurting her. So, now, I have her on my back, and I'm carrying her back to the village.

We were there by sunset. Hana was in hysterics.

Bankotsu had his Banryuu at Mamoru's neck, obviously trying to keep him from hurting my father.

Hana was worried for me, and absolutely terrified that I might have killed Mitsukai.

"Hana-okaa-san, please, calm down!" I said. "Don't worry! Mitsu-kun's alive."

"Really?" Hana sobbed. "But, Mamoru said that you would have to kill her to take her powers, and win the match?"

I laughed lightly. "Mamoru doesn't know what I've been learning!" I said. "When I was four, Papa told me a story about a miko who went bad, and a houshi who stole her powers by cutting her hair!"

Mamoru looked at me frowning. "I've never told you such a story." He said.

I smiled. "I don't remember addressing you!" I said.

I saw my father turn his head weakly toward me.

"This man is not your father." Mamoru said. "I believe we've already discussed this."

My father looked hurt.

"Yes, we've discussed this." I said. "However...I'm having difficulty seeing you as my father. You've been nothing short of cruel to me, all day, today. On my birthday, no less."

Mamoru looked furious. "Hey, I'm just telling it like it is!" I said. "Ban-kun, pry him away from my father, will you? It makes me sick, seeing that man's filthy hands on him."

Mamoru pulled the knife closer to my father's neck. I stiffened.

Hana took Mitsukai from me, allowing me to stand up properly.

I went toward Mamoru. Bankotsu was very careful about reaching down, and grabbing hold of his knife hand. As Bankotsu began to pull Mamoru's hand away from my father, I carefully reached behind him, and untied his hands.

"I'll kill him." Mamoru said. "You will recognize me as your father!"

"If you so much as touch him, you'll wish I would just hurry up and kill you!" I said. "And you can kiss your world-domination plans good-bye!"

He glared at me. Finally, Bankotsu had moved Mamoru's hand away, and I helped my father up, and away from him. "Papa, daijoubu desu ka?" I asked.

He looked at me. He looked so sickly.

"Mori..." He said. "You're...so beautiful...just like your mother."

Tears came to my eyes. "Papa." I said.

"Mori, nigerou!" Bankotsu yelled.

Mamoru came at us with his knife, aiming for Papa.

I glared at him fiercely, stepped infront of Papa, and took the blow for him.

"Mori!" Papa said.

I grunted in pain. "D...daijoubu dayo!" I said. "Barely felt it!"

Bankotsu went berserk, and lopped an arm off of Mamoru.

"Ban-kun!" I said.

He looked at me, leaving Mamoru screaming, and writhing in pain.

"Please, just come help Papa inside!" I said. "This is my fight!"

Bankotsu looked at Mamoru, looking like he might still kill him.

"Please! Take Papa in the house!" I said. "Once he's in, you can come back out. Please!"

Bankotsu reluctantly came over, took my father from me, and took him inside.

Hana was quick to follow. I went over, and knelt beside the writhing Mamoru.

He grunted a stream of dirty names at me.

"Call me all the names you want," I said. "Beat me, torture me, heck, I'll let you kill me. But, if you ever mess with my family again, you can be sure that I'll come after you, and that you're life will be miserable until the minute you die!"

He grunted some unfathomable sentance, something about torture on me.

I frowned. "You're still relatively young, aren't you?" I asked. "Only you're mid-thirties at oldest."

I pulled his knife out of my back.

"That's alot of life left to live." I said. "You're gonna live it real lonely, too."

I jammed the knife in...his loins area.

He couldn't even make sound, he was screaming on such a high pitch.

I laughed, pleased to cause this devil so much pain.

"I'm quite satisfied now." I said. "Now that I know this: You'll never put another child through the hell you've put me through! Have a nice 'rest of your life'!"

I stood up, leaving the knife in him, and headed for the house.

Bankotsu was in the door. "Wow." He said. "You haven't used that one before!"

"I know." I said. "It's really gross to me, so, I try to avoid it! You want to go put him out of his misery, or, is my punishment enough?"

"Ha!" Bankotsu said. "Killing him now, I'd be doing the bastard a favor! Nah, I'm gonna let him suffer! You're good."

"I know." I said. "Now, how's Papa?"

"He's on the couch." Bankotsu said.

I went inside, and saw Papa, having some of the birthday feast Hana had cooked for me.

I watched, unsure of anything else to do.

He had been alive all this time...Twelve cursed years, I had thought he was dead...How could Mamoru do this to someone?! No...Don't think about him anymore. He was no longer part of my life! "Mori-chan," Hana said.

I was brought back to earth, and looked at her.

"Look at yourself! You're filthy!" Hana said. "I won't have you spending this birthday/reunion party in those muddy clothes! Go take a bath!"

I looked at myself. "Oh," I said. "Right. I'll go right now!"

I headed upstairs, and into the bathroom.

As soon as I had stripped down, and started the shower, I began to cry.

I was happy, and relieved, and distraught, and confused, and over-joyed.

I was feeling so much at once, the only thing I could manage was crying for a while.

Eventually, I ran a bath, and washed myself while it was filling up the tub.

Once I was clean, I turned off the water, and sat in the tub to cry some more.

None of my shikikami spoke. They knew better.

I sat in the tub until my hands and feet became pruney.

When I got out, Hasume gave me my favorite underwear and pajamas, and took them.

I treated my wounds, and got dressed.

I went back downstairs, smiling slightly.

Papa had fallen asleep on the couch. I went over, and sat beside the couch, watching him.

"I can't believe you've been alive, all this time..." I said. "Almost tweleve years...What happened to Mama, then? Is she alive, too?"

"Mamoru actually did kill her." came a voice.

I turned to glare at Mitsukai.

"He offered her everything she ever wanted," She said. "And she took off just because he cheated on my mom with her. As far as I'm concerned, she deserved what she got."

Bankotsu had his Banryuu at her neck before I could move.

She smiled at him. "Come, now, Ban-sama!" Mitsukai said. "I know you won't really hurt me! Why not be true to yourself, and come over here with me, now! I know you want me!"

I turned away. "Yeah, I want you..." Bankotsu said.

My heart throbbed, and I slowly turned to him.

"I want you...to shut up!" Bankotsu snapped.

She glared at him. "Nan desu ka?!" She snapped.

Bankotsu came over to me, knelt down, and kissed me, some-what possessively.

I closed my eyes, taking full advantage of this moment.

All of a sudden, something soft hit us in the face, interupting our little moment, and we looked at her. "I'm going to get Papa!" Mitsukai said. "And I'll be going home with him. He'll introduce me to someone better than you! You will regret passing up my offer!"

Bankotsu looked back and forth between us, only to lean down, and nuzzle my neck.

I gasped. "Nah, I'm not gonna regret anything!" Bankotsu said. "I like being the teacher for my new lover! It's much more fun!"

I blushed. Mitsukai screeched, and stomped out of the house.

Bankotsu started kissing my neck. I felt myself losing my senses.

I had to stop him before I forgot what I had to say.

I put my hands on his shoulders, and pushed him off of me.

"If you ever play like that again, you will be in so much-"

He kissed my lips cutting me off.

Nope. My brain shut down. I wouldn't try to say anything else.

He pulled away, and, for the first time since I was three, I pouted.

I felt my face begin blazing, I was so embarrassed with myself.

"There we go!" Bankotsu said. "I don't think I've ever thought something to be cute until the first time I made you blush. Yup. Cutest thing I've ever seen! And I would do anything to keep it that way! I will never cheat on you, as long as I can make you blush."

My blush spread down my body.

He repositioned and rested his head on my lap.

"You smell sweaty." Bankotsu said.

My embarrassment was replaced by mild annoyance.

"Yeah, so do you!" I said. "And I rather like your scent. What of mine?"

"Nothing. I like it." Bankotsu said.

I blushed again. It was quiet for a moment.

I stared into Bankotsu's eyes, and could see the love he felt toward me.

So strong...just like him. Hana came in, looking throughly winded, and looked at us.

"So, what now?" Hana asked. "With your father alive, are you going to take him back to Okinawa with you, and leave me alone? Or, are you leaving him, too?"

I looked at her. I hadn't thought about that yet.

What was I going to do now? I didn't need to give it much thought, before I decided on a plan.

"Come with me!" I said.

Almost done! I promise, I'm actually finishing it up soon! Please, review!