I don't own Sailor Moon. The original characters and story all belong to Naoko Takeuchi.

One of the characters, Michi Noketsuna, is borrowed from… elsewhere. Regards to Bob Charette for this awesome character and Minobu Tetsuhara. Eiji Fuchida, Raylic Sainze, and Gerald Akuma are my own creations. Minobu Tetsuhara is semi-original.

City in hot night,

Summer of music,

Strings pulling at fate

Crystal Tokyo, Earth

Minobu Tetsuhara, formerly of the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery and the Star League Defence Force, groaned at the early morning's light streaming into the window in his small apartment, the hangover of all hangovers from his late night drinking binge with Eiji Fuchida pounding his head incessantly. Why the hell did I ever agree to compete with that baka yakuza? I can't out-drink him!

Eiji had been setting himself up as oyabun of all oyabun on this world, and Minobu had been half appalled that his friend and erstwhile comrade had settled in so quickly and so successfully. As a criminal, of all things! Though Eiji had discreetly promised him he would be aiming to go legitimate as soon as he could. And avoid slicing off as many fingers as possible in the process. Well, it was not as if he could stop Eiji. Actually, he could try, but their battle would probably wreck an entire city in the process. No point in that. He just had to trust Eiji on this one.

Minobu had not been so lucky himself. While it would have been a simple matter for him to get a job as a kendo instructor like his former aide Gerald Akuma, he had enough of war and combat, even if it was mock fighting with wooden swords, which the enthusiastic Akuma never seemed to tire of. So he had fallen back on his other talents, which meant performing in the streets and bars with his erhu, or painting art pieces for rich connoisseurs. It was difficult at first to earn enough money to get by, but Minobu had persevered.

He had been showered with praise recently for some of his exemplary solo erhu performances, and that had opened a few more doors for him. His career was finally on the up and up, and Minobu felt that he could live out this sort of life for the rest of his days easily. No more fighting against ridiculous odds, no more starving on quarter rations, no more pyrrhic victories paid for in blood and tears, no more agonising over which unit he would be sending out against the Dark to die the next day. No more writing letters to the families of dead soldiers, no more nights taking stock of the butcher's bill and juggling their threadbare logistics.

Just him, his art, and his music. The almost carefree and relaxed life of an artist and musician, a stark contrast to his former disciplined and worried one as an officer and samurai. Minobu leaned back into his pillow after drawing down his curtains for more sleep, deciding that more sleep should cure that stupid hangover. Ahhh, life is good.

Michiru Kaiou, known as Sailor Neptune to the world, paced around the palace, waiting impatiently for her best friend Haruka Tenoh for a night out in town together. It had been an exhausting week playing diplomat and protector to Europe, taking care of several matters that had cropped up. This was a rare opportunity for them to relax together.

The palace of Queen Serenity was surprisingly quiet in the evening, with the Royal couple and their loyal retainers attending a diplomatic function in another country. Michiru had managed to beg off for herself and Haruka, and she intended to make as much use of this free night as possible.

She was dressed in a pale blue dress with shimmering green and while highlights, which emphasized her slim figure nicely. Michiru hoped she would not be too easily recognised as Neptune in the city, which would be sprawling with people at night as they sought to relax and entertain themselves after a hard day's work.

Michiru thought about the events of the past ten years as she waited, marvelling at the changes that had come over the world when Usagi had finally claimed her birthright as Queen Serenity. The return of magic to the world had heralded a revolution in world affairs, as government after government found themselves swamped by citizens eager to accept the rule of Queen Serenity and King Endymion, who not only promised high hopes and promises, but actually managed to deliver on those promises.

There was no way the old order could compete, and a year ago the last intransigent nation had fallen under the benevolent rule of Crystal Tokyo. Since then, there had been no more wars and conflict throughout the world, with the local police keeping a lid on crime and the Senshi taking care of matters that in the past would have demanded armies to deal with. Their formidable array of powers and abilities meant that no non-magical force stood a chance against them; peace was easily restored to the lands and tyrants overthrown, with their people rejoicing at their new freedom.

Political freedoms were limited, but there were still elections at the national level, appointing officials who would rule under the guidance of Crystal Tokyo. The system the Senshi had set up after Usagi had come to power was proving to be an unprecedented success in delivering a better life to the citizens of Earth.

The downside of all that was that the Senshi had found very little time for themselves. Michiru turned at the sound of footsteps.

"Sorry I'm late." Haruka said as she hurried up to Michiru. "Have you been waiting long?"

Michiru smiled at her flustered friend, "Not really. Are you ready for a night out in town?" She looked over Haruka critically.

Haruka often dressed like a man, and tonight was no different. She wore a severe looking suit, along with a pair of dark pants. If Michiru didn't know better, she would have thought Haruka was trying to attract attention from the same gender. As it was, she knew that Haruka simply wanted to 'out-man the men', and that attitude had unconsciously carried over to everything she did.

"Do I look ready?" Haruka asked with a grin.

Michiru laughed and took Haruka's arm, "Let's go then!"

Minobu adjusted his dark blue collared shirt, wishing that he had taken more time to iron it properly instead of putting a few more touches on the vase he was painting. The shirt was slightly crumpled, and the damn collar just wouldn't stay up. Not for the first time, he cursed his height which made buying clothes such a chore, and his own samurai upbringing for never pointing out to him the finer points of dressing and fashion.

It had taken him quite a while to adjust to civilian clothing after years of wearing nothing but combat uniforms. Though he would never be considered to be at the cutting edge of modern fashion, he wouldn't look too out of place.

He hoped.

Minobu observed himself in the mirror. Dark blue long sleeved shirt, nondescript black pants that with a bit of luck would suit his darker skin tone. Despite the hot weather in the summer season, he could only wear long sleeved shirts, because the long battle scars on his arms would have attracted too much unwanted attention. His black and white hair combed as best as he could, without using too much of the hair gel that would have given a totally artificial look that he learnt people did not appreciate.

Okay, that should do it. He stared again at himself, noting the strange expression on his face that he was still getting used to. The happy, contented look of a man without worry.

He smiled as he turned away from the mirror, moving to pick up the case containing his erhu. There was a street music competition for string instruments every week at night since summer had started, and he had competed in and won every one of them. That should set people talking, if nothing else. He aimed to make sure tonight was no different.

There would be a sizable crowd tonight, if what he saw in previous weeks were any indication. Summer was really hot this year, and people only left their air-conditioned rooms and offices for the outside at night, when the air was cooler.

As he was closing the door of his apartment, Minobu felt just the slightest flutter against his ki. He narrowed his eyes. It was not the same type of gut wrenching vice that would grab him by the balls and squeeze hard whenever the shit was about to hit the fan, but more like a soothing breeze on his soul. Why do I get the feeling something is about to happen tonight?

Minobu shrugged his broad shoulders, then walked off. He had a competition to win.

"Look at that dress!" Michiru gasped as she dragged Haruka over to the window of another shop. They had not been out for a while, and there had been a whole new series of new summer wear out. Michiru had found herself busy taking down mental notes on which clothes to buy once they got some additional manpower to carry the shopping bags. There was no way she was going to burden herself or Haruka with the bags on this night.

"That's very nice." Haruka whistled as Michiru ran her eyes over their latest find. It was a green sleeveless number with slits down the legs. Enough to look sexy and classy but not slutty.

Michiru sighed. "I wish we had somebody around to help us carry the stuff."

Her best friend rolled her eyes in reply, which Michiru caught easily. "Haruka-chan, don't tell me you just aren't the teeniest, weeniest bit jealous of the Inners and the Shitennou? They're all happily married, while we're still old maids who can't even get a date except each other at twenty eight years old!"

Haruka winced at her words. "Michiru-chan, I may have thought about that for quite some time ago, but not now."

Michiru was about to reply when several pieces of paper flew past them. Intrigued, Michiru grabbed one of the flyers. Haruka walked up beside her to take a look.

"Master of Strings contest at Apple Avenue!" The flyer practically screamed in large bold neon letters. "All contestants and audience are welcome!"

Michiru grinned at the notice, then read the fine print. It seemed to be another of those music competitions that had sprung up ever since Queen Serenity had passed a dictate to promote arts and culture. They were particularly popular in the summer, especially as people, sick of being cooped up in their homes and offices in the day, would go out at night and enjoy the city nightlife.

"You're not thinking of taking part, are you?" asked Haruka.

Michiru smiled, "It's been so long since I've been able to play a violin. I think a short demonstration of my skill should serve to inspire these musicians and bring some entertainment to the people, wouldn't it?"

"I hope so!" Haruka laughed as Michiru dragged her away to Apple Avenue.

Minobu smirked as another musician conceded defeat at his hands. Ah, the taste of victory is sweet, the man gloated. Now, just another ten minutes and I'd be able to walk off with the prize money.

The contest was quite simple. There was a podium with two large booths where the competing musicians would sit in. Instruments allowed would be any form of string instrument that required the use of a bow or a device that draws across the strings, and also limited by the type of music available. The musicians would play immediately whatever music score was placed in front of them, and were allowed to interpret the music as they wished as long as it stayed recognizable.

The applause from the audience would largely decide who stayed and who was eliminated, and vetted by professional judges. Because of his track record, Minobu had been placed near the end by the organisers, in order to let others have their moments of glory instead of having him beat every single one of them.

In order to base the decision on musicality and ability alone, and not looks or any other form of showmanship, the participants would enter the booths out of sight of the audience, and would emerge only after they were eliminated, or when they had won the whole thing. Also, the competing musicians would not be able to see each other. Which was a good thing because Minobu knew he simply did not look the part of a musician, and more like a disco bouncer. And a bad thing because he could not intimidate any competitors. Not that he needed to, anyway.

For the past few weeks, he had won often enough that regulars could pick out the distinctive mellow bright tone of his erhu when it was his turn amongst the many violins, violas, and cellos that dominated the field. Despite the demanding technique required, the erhu was excellent for solo pieces, even with just two strings, capable of imitating many natural sounds which Minobu used to stunning effectiveness to add expression and colour to his pieces. While the sound is not as smooth as that produced by a western string instrument, it was a bit more versatile, and practically owned any music piece with melancholic moods.

"Well then, it seems like our old friend is back," the announcer said to the delighted laughter of the audience. The regulars knew full well who the player of the erhu was, and their appreciative applause told Minobu that his efforts to gain recognition were paying off.

"For our next contestant, we have a violinist. So sit back and enjoy the music, folks!"

Almost immediately from the very first note played by the violinist, Minobu knew he had real competition. The tingling on his ki he had felt when he was leaving his apartment came back again, only slightly stronger this time.

Michiru played her borrowed violin with all the skill she could muster. The surprising skill of the erhu player demanded no less than her very best effort. It had been a while since she had last played, but she trusted her hands and arms to remember the long hours spent honing her technique to the level which had first propelled her to stardom.

Haruka was amongst the audience, and undoubtedly cheering for her. Michiru smiled at the thought of her friend, and played with all the feeling she could pour into the piece. It was a slow yet delicate tune, and she kept just short of infusing it with too much emotion.

Then she was finished, and the outpouring of praise from the audience brought a grin to her face.

Next up was the erhu player's turn to play the same piece, and his opening wiped her grin off. He was really very good. It would be a tight contest.

She normally wasn't very competitive, but for some strange reason, she just didn't want to allow the possibility that she, Michiru Kaiou, world-famous violinist, had been defeated by probably a no-name street musician. She would try even better the next time. She had to win!

Minobu wiped off the sweat from his forehead as the round went into another sudden death, winner-takes-all stage.

The violinist and him had been going at it for the past twenty minutes now, matching each other expression for expression, technical sequence for technical sequence, and even the professional judges brought in to break the tie had not been able to decide a winner. The audience was hugely enjoying the duel, cheering each of the two musicians.

He smiled ruefully, all the while noting that the tingling had only grown stronger, becoming almost a tickle of energy on his ki. He could vaguely sense the violin player's ki now, and the strength and conviction of the player. He was also pretty sure it was a female playing.

Minobu groaned inwardly. If thirty-two years of life had taught him anything, it was that women were the hardest to dislodge when they are hell-bent on getting something they want. He got the impression that he was to be this woman's punching bag for the night.

The violin player finished her piece after he had presented it first, and again the score came back as a draw. Minobu resisted the urge to yell in frustration. Samurai do not yell, he heard Ishida-sensei's voice from his time at Sun Zhang haranguing him during a training run.

Minobu shook his head. He needed to reach mushin, the rare state of thought and action as one, if he was to win this contest. He had not managed to reach that state for some time now, after the terrible battle at Bane's Wall where he had… No, this was still not the time to think about what he had done that day above the wide river gorge.

"Well, it seems like we're at an impasse!" The announcer declared cheerfully. "But, never fear! We have one last test. Let us test them on how well they play when they are," he whispered the next words theatrically to the crowd, "not performing alone."

The roar of approval from the crowd told him all he needed to know.

The announcer continued, "The two contestants shall play a romantic duet, and this shall be the last item for the day. Enjoy!"

The audience clapped enthusiastically.

Another music score was slipped to him through a small slit in his booth, which had microphones strategically placed around him to pick up the music and transmit it to the audience via several speakers. From what Minobu could hear, the system was absolutely first rate, and there was no loss in quality from the sound produced by his erhu to that from the speakers.

In order to start them off, Minobu started beating time by plucking his strings like on a guitar, and then the violinist came in easily in sync with his own drawing of his bow to start off his own part.

Michiru nodded mentally in appreciation as they moved through the piece, which called for them swap leads frequently and support the other player. The erhu player yielded seamlessly to her when the piece called for it, and she tried her best to support the other player whenever he, or perhaps it was a she, took the lead. Then just a quarter of the way through, she felt a sudden change in both herself and the erhu player.

She moved totally into the music, immersing herself in the experience, which was unlike anything she had ever felt before. They were like kindred souls which had finally found each other after ages of separation, changing their intense competition into complementation, lifting the music beyond mere sounds into the realm where they could literally move hearts and souls with raw emotion.

Michiru wished the moment could last forever.

As he played, Minobu was barely cognizant of his surroundings, of anything that did not matter to the song. He was fully in the state of mushin, his ki melding with the ki of the female player, raising their art to a level he had never before achieved.

His soul seemed to sing with delight as they played, and Minobu got the faint impression of a woman with hair the colour of sea foam and the most enchanting green eyes he had ever seen.

Then the song was over, and Minobu found himself quivering from the aftertaste of the music. The crowd erupted in cheers of approval. There were even shouts of 'encore', even though this was not a formal performance.

He panted slightly, not from exhaustion but from the sensation that had overcome him during the final song. What in the Nine Hells happened?

Michiru looked up in surprise as she heard the announcer declare yet another draw, and that the prize money would be split between the joint winners. One side of the booth opened, and she walked out, her hands tired from the constant playing and the sheer intensity of the final duet.

She walked out to tremendous applause, just as her competitor, the erhu player exited from his booth as well.

He was a tall man, towering over the normal crowd with his 6'5 frame. The erhu seemed like a mere twig in his hands, but the graceful movements of his fingers hinted at a control and discipline that most men of his size would never achieve. His hair was black, but streaked with white and grey. His eyes were a hard and steely grey that did not blink enough, hinting at experiences better left untouched. His face was handsomely rugged rather than boyish, but possessed of character and hidden strength. His skin was darker than normal, which made him stand out even more. He looked to be a bit older than her.

He looked at her, and Michiru flushed when he smiled, then bowed deeply and formally to her. He then turned to the crowd and declared, "I concede. This lady deserves the victory." He has a strong voice, Michiru noticed.

The announcer walked up beside him, "Uh, Minobu-san, I thought I said it was a draw…"

So, his name is Minobu… Michiru smiled, then spoke up, "I think I should have a say in this as well. I agree that a draw is the fairest result."

Minobu blushed at her words, and Michiru thought he looked extremely charming as he quickly placed his erhu back into its case. He began to protest, "But…"

The announcer whispered harshly in a tone that would not reach the crowd, but Michiru caught the words easily. "Minobu-san, are you mad? I thought you needed the money!"

"I did, but I cannot accept even a draw when this lady had performed so well with a handicap. It is not honourable."

Michiru blinked in confusion as Minobu continued to speak, this time to her and the crowd, his voice confident and commanding. "Judging from your attire and manner, you must be a lady of high position and rank." He pointed at her violin, "The violin you used was one borrowed from the spare racks, and is of lower quality. You would have beaten me easily if you were using a better instrument which would reveal your full talent."

Michiru blushed again as he bowed gallantly to her. "I am Minobu Tetsuhara and I acknowledge your greater skill. Please accept my congratulations."

She could sense his sincerity, and there was nothing more she could say to change his mind. She bowed back to him. "I am Michiru Kaiou, and I thank you for your kind words."

The crowd seemed to quieten down as they realized who she was. The announcer grinned like an idiot as he rushed over to give them their prize money, and then stuck out a piece of paper for her to autograph.

Then the crowd surged up the stage, and Michiru found Haruka by her side pulling her away from the throng of autograph seekers. They ran away as if for their lives. Without seeming to know why, Michiru pulled Minobu along.

Minobu did not know why, but a few minutes later he found himself still with Jokan Kaiou, the violinist who had beaten him plus another tall lady with blond hair and dressed like a man.

"Are they gone?" Michiru asked. She has such a sweet voice. Minobu hit himself on the head slightly to dislodge any hentai thoughts.

"Yeah, I think so." He peered warily around a corner. "What was that all about?"

Then he turned back to see the two women were staring at him with shock on their faces. "Uh, can somebody tell me what is going on?"

Michiru seemed to recover first, "You really don't know?"

"Know what?" Minobu scratched his head with a finger. Sure, he could try a bit of mind reading to find out what they were talking about, but why bother?

Michiru pressed again, "Do you know who we are?"

"Huh? Well, I know your name, Lady Michiru, but not that of your friend. Is there something I'm not aware of?"

The two women looked at each other for a few seconds, and Minobu felt sweatdrops down the back of his head as he got the sensation they were conversing on a different level. Then they grinned at each other, and Minobu got the feeling he had just stepped into quicksand. And he wasn't about to get out any time soon.

Michiru walked up to him, her green eyes gleaming, "Minobu-san, how would you like to have my half of the prize money? You just have to do something for me and my friend, Haruka Tenoh. Just for tonight."

Prize money? Yeah, I really need that money for additional paint supplies. Minobu snapped to attention as though he was back in Sun Zhang. "Your wish is my command!"

The two women giggled madly.

Michiru laughed happily as he walked on the street, Haruka trailing her with an amused expression. Tetsuhara lagged behind them, weighted down by box after box of clothes and shopping bags from their buying spree.

Most men would have been wearing an expression of forlorn despair in Minobu's shoes, but he seemed bemused instead, and had taken on all the bags and boxes without a single word of complaint.

Which was extremely unusual to Michiru. She had met her fair share of men and dates, sometimes thrust upon her by the other Senshi, but none seemed like Minobu. He was polite all the time, and did not seem to offer much information about himself. While other men would bluster about their qualities, his calm was a pool. But she did observe that he seemed slightly uncomfortable when speaking to her or Haruka, as though he did not have much social interaction with people.

As they walked, they would talk about their music. Because Haruka played the piano as well, she was not left out. Michiru quizzed him incessantly about his technique, and he answered as best as he could.

She could not forget the moment when their music had come together, and Michiru simply could not shake off the feeling that this was what she had been waiting for all her life. The Senshi took another look at Minobu, and got the slight feeling of power laying dormant in him.

Every now and then, she would exchange glances with Haruka, the two of them revelling in Minobu's seeming ignorance of their true identities as Protectors of the Realm and Sailor Senshi. It seemed like he did not bother to read the papers.

They were halfway to the Crystal Palace when Minobu mentioned that he had needed the money for buying paint, which made Haruka blurt out the fact that Michiru painted as well. The next thing they knew, they had shifted the topic from music to painting.

Minobu grinned as he carried the fruits of their shopping trip. It was not exactly light, but he had carried much heavier stuff in the past when he was at the Sun Tzu School of Combat. Carrying six full water buckets up a small mountain at the age of fifteen wasn't exactly a cakewalk.

That said, Michiru had been gracious enough not to leave him out, and she had insisted on buying a shirt for him, over his most vehement protests. But he had admitted defeat when Haruka joined in the attack.

He just wasn't used to talking to women in a social context. Oh sure, there were plenty of female soldiers under the various units he had commanded when he was in the SLDF, but he had always isolated himself, because of the necessity for a commander to maintain a distance between himself and his troops to retain his objectivity in combat, when he sometimes had to order good soldiers to die.

Minobu hated himself for that. He had often questioned himself if a conscience was a good thing in a samurai, when he had been taught to take action without regret, make snap decisions without remorse. At least he didn't have to make such decisions any more. Leave that to some other gloryhound with more attention to the objective and body counts!

He had to admit he liked company of the two beautiful women, especially Michiru's. There was a certain connection he felt with her, and there was always the faint sweet sound of music he thought could hear when they looked at each other. Minobu could recognise it as the duet they had played during the contest.

Is it fate? He wondered. That I would finally meet somebody I like on this other Earth in another galaxy? Is this what I've been waiting for all my life?

"We're here." Michiru announced as she stopped, and Minobu could only stare in slack jawed amazement at their home.

In front of him was a high gate of silver and gold, glittering with jewels and rare crystals. Beyond the gate was a vast garden, filled with bright and beautiful flowers of every imaginable colour and type. And in the middle of all that was a single gleaming palace, also made from the same white, silver, and gold material as the gates.

Minobu blinked. Several times, in fact. He asked, "Isn't this the Crystal Palace? Where the rulers of the world live?"

Michiru nodded, as did Haruka.

"Then you live here?"

They nodded again.

Minobu wanted to hit himself for not keeping a closer watch on current events and politics on this world. "Then your roles are?"

Michiru smiled, somewhat sadly, "I am Sailor Neptune, Senshi and Soldier of the Depths for Neo Queen Serenity."

Haruka was next to speak. "And I am Sailor Uranus, Senshi and Soldier of the Skies for Neo Queen Serenity."

Minobu stepped back slightly from that at their revelations. He had heard of the Sailor Senshi, the defenders of this world, but he had never expected he would meet them. And certainly not like this! No wonder her ki was so strong.

Michiru was wistful as she said, "I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, Minobu-san. I hope you forgive me and Haruka for deceiving you…"

He recovered gamely, "No. You didn't deceive me." He smiled. "I can only blame myself for not reading the papers and finding out just how beautiful the Sailor Senshi are." His smile grew wider at their blushes. "Now, where in that nice big palace do I put these boxes?"

Michiru laughed in relief that he was not angry, took him by the arm, and led him through the gates past the guards, who snapped to attention. "Follow me."

Minobu nodded in approval at the discipline of the guards, and walked through the gate behind Michiru.

"So, what do you think?" Haruka smiled mischievously at Michiru as they sat down on Michiru's bed in her room. "Quite the prize catch you have there, Michiru-chan!"

Michiru's face was as red as a berry as she tried to deny the allegation, "Haruka-chan, there's nothing between us!"

"Oh really?" Haruka grinned. "Then why did you invite Minobu-san over tomorrow in the afternoon?"

"Well, he said he was a painter, and that he painted not only normal art, but vases and pottery as well, and I figured that the palace could use an artisan of his skills," said Michiru defensively.

"Oh please, Michiru." Haruka rolled her eyes. "I know you too well. And remember, I was at the contest too, and the duet you two played was beyond flawless. And then the way you looked at each other was all too obvious! You even share the same interests!"

Michiru glared at her best friend, "Haruka, I'm going to get angry now if you don't stop!"

"I'm even going to tell the others!" Haruka laughed as she skipped out the door, just in time to avoid a pillow thrown in her direction. "Good night, Michiru-chan!"

The turquoise-haired woman stared after her friend for a moment, before throwing her face into a pillow, trying to hide from herself the feelings she had felt that night with Minobu Tetsuhara.

Minobu sank back on his bed, his mind running with images of Michiru. Am I in love? Or is it just an obsession? He drifted off into sleep.

"Jumonji." He said in a low voice that reached only to the two men behind him, his former student and the friend he had chosen as his kaishaku-nin.

"He asked you to wait until he has made the second, crosswise cut." There was a sudden intake of air from his kaishaku-nin. He knew his friend would understand.

In a deliberate motion, he reached out with steady hand and took the wakizashi that lay before him. He looked down at it. On its gleaming surface, he saw reflections of all that had made his life worthwhile. Its shine was the sheen of his honour.

He turned the point towards his own abdomen and focused his ki.

He stabbed the sword deeply into his flesh, on the left side below his navel. He drew it slowly across to the right. Turning the sword in the wound, he cut upwards towards his heart.

He felt no pain. His ki liberated him from that. There was a small click behind him to the left.

Oblivion.

Minobu opened his eyes, his heart surprisingly calm. That was new. Not a nightmare, but more like a memory… That wakizashi… is my wakizashi. Honour's Sorrow. Was that where the red stain on the blade came from?

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Like it? Dislike it? Please review and comment!

Here's the haiku for next chapter. As you might guess, it's going to be action!

War bares a sword's steel,

Autumn leaves reflect colour,

A samurai's blood

Those who wish to know more about the nature of my fic should read Wolves on the Border, the novel I consider to be Robert Charette's magnum opus.