Chapter 4

The Test

Part 2

Kaimara unsheathed her own blade, "I'm ready," She stated, "How 'bout you?"

Hao smirked, "I've been ready, Young Samurai." And lunged at Kaimara, who barely had time to dodge.

Kaimara blocked the assault with her own blade, but the strikes kept coming. But, each time, each strike became faster, and harder.

'Damn it!' Kaimara thought, 'His strikes are almost unbearable, I'll have to take it up a notch!'

She started to strike faster, harder, hoping she would connect a hit.

'Hmm,' Hao thought, 'She's tougher than I expected.'

"I must say, young Samurai, Sasuga Ni." Hao said as he blocked an overhead slash.

"Right back at you, Hao!" Kaimara called as she dodged a stab to the right.

They continued to fight for hours on end.

They each felt the heat of each move as if their anger was concentrated on the other.

"You never give up, do you Kaimara?" Hao asked.

"Nope. I was taught to keep my eye on my goal, and stick with it 'till the end!" The young Samurai replied.

"I must say, you never do give up," Hao stated, "I'm impressed."

"Can you just shut up and fight, Hao?!?" Kaimara shouted.

She had enough of him. She doesn't need to go through with a "test" just so she could get her father's blade back. She didn't care what Hao said about his "revenge" against the King. She didn't care that she was alone.

She just wanted to leave Japan and go somewhere so she could be alone, somewhere without her father's killers looking for her, just to kill her. She didn't want to see this "boy" again.

'But that's just it.' She thought, 'He's just a boy like I'm just a girl. We're the same age; we're both alone.'

She decided that she had to put up with him.

It was a long time before Hao made his reply to Kaimara's statement. He took a breath and said, "I can shut up if I want to. I'm giving you confidence. That's all. If you want me to shut up, I will."

"I'm sorry Hao," Kaimara said finally, "You can talk all you want. I just want my blade back, that's all."

She felt tears fall from her eyes. She quickly wiped them away. She didn't want to cry in front of someone, especially a boy. "It's alright," Hao said gently with a smile, "I would feel all crummy inside if I just lost my father too. I'll give you your blade back." He put Amidamaru's blade back into its sheath and gave it to the young girl.

Kaimara smiled and started to cry as she accepted the blade. She was happy that she had something of her fathers to remember him by. 'This boy's really something. It's like he had a major attitude adjustment in the last five minutes,' Kaimara thought, 'I like this kid. I can put up with him.' She smiled and wiped her tears.

"I suppose that's all the training we should do for today." Hao stated with a smile, "You look all worn out."

Kaimara smirked. "I am not!" She exclaimed teasingly, "But, maybe I could give you a break. You look tired."

And the two new friends just laughed…

Sasuga Ni in Japanese means "Your skill is as I expected. I learned that in issue 18 of Shonen Jump Magazine!

Well, how about that for Chapter 4? You like it? More to come next Chapter!