~*Hiro*~

I sat with me eyes closed, taking small sips of the tea in front of me. The mornings were always peaceful, always quiet. So far it's been a week since Kitty has controlled her inner beast and at least a week since we were attacked by Dracon. So far we have no leads on him at all, his ship isn't even registered so we can't find out what kind of crew he has.

A pair of foot steps started making their way to the door of my room. I listened closely to see who they belonged to. They were defiantly boots of some sort, so that ruled Kitty out seeing as she doesn't where shoes at all. The clank of the boots were much too heavy to be the kind Melfina wears so she was also eliminated. It may have been some what harder for me to pick between Strife or Jess but since Strife seemed to weigh more then Jess with the added height and muscle mass, it was very easy to come to my conclusion.

"Hello, Strife." I said as the door opened, not looking up from my tea.

"Heya, Hiro....How did you know it was me?"

I shrugged. "Lucky guess."

He laughed and sat down. "Yeah, whatever." He looked at the cup by my crossed legs. "What's that?"

I turned my head to him. "Tea, do you want some?"

"Well, I've never had tea before..." He took the cup from in front of my legs and took a sip. His eyebrows raised. "Hey, that's actually not that bad..." He took another sip. "Wow! That's actually GREAT!"

I laughed and poured myself a new cup. "It helps to relax oneself....It works wonders."

He nodded. "Oh damn does it work..."

He looked up at me. "So hey, are you busy?"

I shook my head. "Not at the moment. Why?"

He stood back to his feet, taking the cup with him. "Good, come with me."

I nodded my head and followed him out of my room. We went down the hall and into the recreational room. They were weights, mats and other various things now inside it. "Where did these come from?"

Strife laughed. "Well this is supposed to be a rec room. I need all these things to relax. Well these things and now this...." He raised the cup of tea.

I shook my head. "Ok, well why are we here?"

He took another sip of his tea and went over to a blue mat, putting the cup down on the ground. "We're going to spar."

I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"We. Are. Going. To. Spar. Get it now?"

"Strife, I'm stronger then you are. You won't last."

"Yeah, that's what you think. C'mon, get into the circle."

I shook my head and took my place in the white taped circle on the mat.

"Good," He said. "Now c'mon on and attack!"

"No, you started this, you attack first."

He shrugged. "Alright, whatever.....Here I go!"

He came at me and swung his left fist towards my head. I easily grabbed it, turned around, and threw his body to the ground with a loud thud.

"Ouch....Ok, that kind of hurt....But how bout this?!"

Rocketed up onto his hands and tried to kick me in the skull. I grabbed his leg and drove my own knee deep into his stomach, causing him once again to hit the floor.

He rolled onto his back. "Argh, this is harder then I thought it would be...."

He stood back up and looked at me. "How'd you get so good?"

"Practice. Years of practice."

"Heh, figures...."

"So should I attack you now?"

He raised his arms in a defensive, boxer-style, position. "Only if you want your face imbedded in the ground!"

I raised my eyebrow once again. "Cocky aren't we?"

He shrugged. "It's only to piss off then enemy. If you can keep your calm while simultaneously allowing your opponents to loose his then you have a sure-win."

I laughed in spite of myself. "There's a method to your madness, after all."

He nodded. "Ya damn right!"

Jess's voice suddenly came over the com. "Strife we're getting this distress call from a passing ship. It seems pretty urgent, what do we do?"

"Respond to them, obviously. See what all the ruckus is about." After said he then turned to me. "C'mon lets get up to the bridge and continue this later. I don't have a good feeling about this one."

We hurried our way to the bridge and sat down. I looked up at the screen and saw this small white vessel approach us.

A weary man's face appeared on the screen. "Thank you fine travelers for stopping to hear our troubles."

"So what kind of troubles to you people have?" Strife asked, with his arm on its rest and his palm on his cheek.

"Our home is being over run by a small band of Outlaws. We're putting up our best defenses but they're too over whelming. We were sent from our home to go find help. Hopefully you are who we are seeking."

"Umm....Can you hold on a sec?" Strife asked, telling Jess to take off the com. "Ok guys, whoever thinks this is a trap raise their hands." No one raised their hands. "Pff, figures. Side with the beat up old guy...."

Kitty turned to Strife. "You think he's trying to trick us?"

"Well yeah!! C'mon, do you really think some old geezer got off a planet without anyone following him?"

"Well maybe he got out unnoticed!"

As the two argued I stared out at the ship, there was a small insignia on the side. It looked oddly familiar to me.... "Strife," I said, interrupting the argument, "can you bring that man up one more time?"

"Uhhh, sure thing Hiro.....Jess get em back up."

The made appeared once again and I asked him if the ship he was riding in was his own.

"Why yes it is. Is there something wrong with it....?"

I smiled and shook my head. "No, most certainly not. We are almost done deciding and we'll get back to you shortly."

He grinned. "Ok, but please hurry. Our home is in danger as we speak."

The man once again was cut from our transmission. Everyone looked at me and Strife asked what that was about.

"He's lying. It's not his ship, I believe this really is a trap."

Everyone's eyebrows shot up. "You serious?? How do you know???"

"The emblem on the side of the ship belongs to the Ka-Shinta..."

Strife almost fell out of his seat. "No WAY!! How could you see their emblem from here? Where is it?"

"It doesn't matter right now. Let's head to that planet."

It seemed everything I said put them into more shock. "WHAT? Why?!?!"

I was silent for a short moment. I didn't want to let on too much that I had my own affairs with these pirates..... "There's someone in their ranks I must fight...."

"Cryptic, huh? But no can do, Hiro. If it's a trap I can't just walk in willingly."

I looked up at him. "Please, Strife....I know he will be there.....I promise no one will be in danger."

He sighed. "No, don't give any shallow excuses. "We're going into pirate territory. You can't promise crap, alright?!"

I looked down, maybe I shouldn't have even said anything....

"But we'll go in anyway....I can't change this universe without cracking a few skulls. Even if it is a trap...I have enough faith in this crew to know we'll make it out. My slight insanity seems to bring some comfort too." He looked over and slightly grinned at me then turned back to the screen. "Alright bring the guy back up."

He returned for the third time and was now sweating bullets. "Have you made your decision???"

"Yep," Strife told him, "The Outlaw Star is now to your full assistance."

The man looked shocked that we agreed but he soon composed himself. "I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you St-...Er...Kind sir!" Now everyone was positive it was a trap but no one said anything.

"Oh please, call me Strife. What are you called?"

"What am I called...? Oh my name! It's um....Aletiv."

"Wow...How about I just call you Al?"

"Um.....Very well."

"Great! So lead the way, Al!"

The white ship turned and led us to their planet. We were all surprised to find out that this 'planet' he was taking us to was actually one of many moons surrounding a basic 'dead rock in space' planet.

"Those poor people," I said, mostly to myself, "They must move to these barren moons because of a dieing planet...."

"It's only dieing because they made it happen. Maybe if they took a little care of it.." Strife mumbled.

"Don't you feel any remorse for them?"

"I don't feel any sympathy to people who destroy their own planet." He turned his head to me. "Maybe you should start feeling the same way...."

I reclined in my chair and closed my eyes. Strife was so careless, so emotionless. Couldn't he just feel a little sorry for these people? I shook me head, wondering why exactly I was on this crew to begin with.

The two ships cut easily through the weak atmosphere, landing on the rocky ground beneath us. Aletiv hailed us to say that the gravity is somewhat weaker then most moons so we should be careful. He also said that the air gets thin at times so to make sure we had oxygen ready just incase.

We got out of the ship and looked around. There was no one here except that old man.... "Please follow me." He said, most politely.

Jess, Mel and Strife walked close to the man as Kitty and I stayed in the back, watching for any ambushes.

"So, Hiro.....Does that wooden sword actually protect you....I mean, I can't believe you can actually reflect bullets with it."

I nodded. "Yes, it does.....But I honestly don't prefer a Bokudo. I have a sword of my own yet it was stolen so I had to use my mother's instead."

"Stolen?? Are you serious? By who?"

I stayed silent.

"Are you going to tell me?"

"A pirate...." I finally said.

She gasped slightly. "Is that the same pirate you think is here?"

I nodded my head once. "Yes, it's the same one. He's a very skilled swordsman, he once attacked me when I was very young, still a novice. I later found out that he only attacked me for my unique katana.....A sakabato. A reverse bladed sword."

"Reversed? Like the sharp part is on the inside?"

I nodded again. "Yes, I prefer it over others because I am not one to enjoy the death of others."

"Heh....An assassin who doesn't like killing people?"

"A C'tarl C'tarl who doesn't like the moonlight?"

"Heyheyhey!! I like the moonlight now! I can finally control my emotions."

I shook my head with a smile. "We all do things we don't like, Kitty. I was hired to terminate certain individuals to help my own family prosper. That's all I ever did for years on end, hunt down and kill people. My mother trained my very well....Soon enough killing was the only thing I was good at that I didn't even notice the blood spilt on my hands. I was completely detached....Emotionless..."

I stopped talking. I was getting too personal, I didn't want anyone to know my past. Why my attitude now is so much more different then it was before....

"Wow, So how'd you get all nice all of a sudden? Why the Sako- whasitcalled?"

I smiled slightly. "Sakabato...Now who doesn't know anything?"

She crossed her arms and huffed.

"I forged that sword to remind myself of how easily it was to kill and yet at the same time how very hard it would be if you were to go against what would be considered normal to you."

"Normal.....Like the normally made katana, a perfect weapon for a perfect assassin.....But you didn't want that, so you reversed it......An assassin that didn't like killing....A weapon with the edge on the inside. One in the same, eh?"

I nodded. "Yes but I believe you're thinking about this too much."

She laughed. "Don't give me that crap! You get insightful ALL the time!!"

We reached a town soon after our conversation ended. It was quite rundown, looking like places you might find during the 'old west' period of time. Aletiv directed to what seemed like an abandoned tavern. We all took a seat at a table when he said he must go run off and gather his friends. After he left Strife put his feet up on the table.

"You think it was a good idea to let him get away, Strife?" Jess asked, now looking very concerned.

"Yeah, we gotta set off the trap somehow."

Jess crossed her arms. "I'm really not liking this plan."

"Hey, it'll be fine. You still have that piece on you, right?"

Jess reached for her back pocket and pulled out a pistol, I wasn't too good with weapon's description so I couldn't tell exactly what it was. "Yeah, yeah, yeah.....But what about Mel? She's unarmed."

"It's fine, Jess. I wouldn't know how to use one of those anyway...."

Jess sighed. "Eh, It's ok, Mel. Just stick with me and you'll be fine."

Strife laughed. "And who are YOU going to stick with...?"

"I don't need to stick with anyone! I'm fine on my own!"

"Yeah, whatever."

Strife got up and walked over to then behind the counter, seeing if they had any refreshments. "Man! How stupid is this. A bar and no beer!"

I heard a rustle outside the window directly behind Strife. He must not have heard it for he was still babbling on.

"I mean, really! You would think they would have something around here! But not a thing! Not even empty glasses.."

The rustling became louder.

"Rrrgh, ah well.....Guess we'll just have to wait for our courteous hosts to arrive."

Suddenly the windows to the left and right of Strife shattered as two basic, armor clad pirates leaped through and went right for him. I was up and out of my seat before the windows even cracked but Strife seemed to be quicker then I was. His pistol was already drawn and two holes of crimson appeared upon the pirate's head.

I walked up to him. "How did you know?"

"Hiro.....We're in a trap ready to be sprung. You think I would really put my guard down?"

"Hmmm, I suppose not...." I looked at him for a moment. Strife was a more skilled then I had preciously gave him credit for. I started thinking back to our previous fights and wondered if he could have possible been toying with me....

Strife walked pass not giving me a second look. "Alright folks, that was it. If I'm right then all hell's about to break loose. Now the only reason we're here is because Hiro THINKS his lovely pirate is someone on this hell hole. So here's the plan, Jess, Mel, and I will go back and defend this ship. Kitty you go with Hiro and cover his ba-"

"No, Strife. It's not necessary, I won't need assistance."

I turned to me, glaring. "Hiro, you're not some super man. A bullet can kill you just as easily as those two pirates. Kitty is going with you."

I growled inwardly. I could have easily done this on my own yet Strife was my superior and I had to follow him. "Very well," I said turning to Kitty, "are you ready?"

She nodded with a large grin on her face. "You betcha! Let's get going while the gettins good!"

Strife clapped his hands. "Great so we're all agreed. Hiro, the ship will be in plain sight of the village if you need us."

"Ok Strife," I walked to the door but stopped and looked at him. "....And thank you....For allowing me to do this."

He laughed once. "Not a problem, Hiro. Everyone's got things they need to do. Why take it upon myself to stop them?"

I smiled and walked out of the tavern being followed closely by Kitty.

"So I guess we're a main group out of everyone, eh?"

I shrugged. "Yes, I suppose so....Would that be a bad thing?"

She shook her head. "Not at all, Hiro. Not.At.All."

As we rounded a corner I saw her ear twitch.

"I hear something." She said quietly.

I looked around. "I don't see anything. Where do you hear it from?"

She jabbed me in the side and closed her eyes. "Shut up! I'm trying to listen!"

I took my bokudo from my sash and stood as quietly as I could as Kitty told me where she thought they were coming from.

"They're moving so fast....I can really pinpoint them....Wait....I got it.....They're.....They're.....Underneath us?!"

I instantly knew who it was. The pirate I was looking for. "SHOGUN!!"

I took Kitty's arm and tugged her to the side as the ground under us exploded revealing a man covered in swords....Bladed weapons of all kind slung around his white jacket. "So we meet again...." He looked up at me. ".... Hiro of the Crimson Night!!"

I squinted at that name. It was given to me for the main reason that I only attacked under the night sky. As I looed at him I noticed that there was one particular sword tied to the front of his belt, my sword....

He looked down at the sword and back to me. "Ohhh, see something you like, Hiro? Does one of my many swords impress you?"

"One of those many swords are mine...."

"Oh really? Which one?" He started pulling random weapons from their sheaths. "Is it this one? ....Noo. Thhiiisss one? No, too big. Ohohoh!! What about....." He pulled my sword from it's sheath. "....This one. Oh yes, I think this is it, wouldn't you agree?"

I clenched my bokudo tight in my fists. "Give it to me."

He laughed. "Oh really?! Is that how you ask for things? By just barking out the person?? Maybe I should teach you a thing or two about courtesy....."

"Feel free to attack me...." I stopped between my sentence and took one step towards him, my eyes as slits. ".....If you wish to taste the ground." Hmm, Strife was rubbing off on me more then I thought....

He stopped laughing and put my sword away, taking out two longer ones. "You little bastard! You think you're tougher then me huh?! We'll just see about that!"

He charged at me, quicker then the blink of an eye. He brought the sword in his right hand down on me. I pressed my own weapon up against his and fiercely pushed him away.

"Ooooh, that was nice. But one little push isn't going to help you!"

He charged again but was tackled to the ground by a certain, forgotten about C'tarl.

"Kitty, no!"

It was too late though. They were already back up and exchanging blows. I ran up behind Shogun and swung hard at his waist. He effortlessly spun around to block my attack, while at the same time arching his foot back and kicking Kitty right in the jaw. She fell backwards with a loud thud.

"Kitty, you ok?!?"

Shogun dived at me, not allowing myself to help her. He attacked to my right so I quickly parried, thrusting my weapon towards his head. He ducked and drove his sword into my stomach. I did my best to turn but it still caught me in the side. I scream a bit and jumped back. There was no point to this.....He was stronger then I was.

Kitty started to stir around so Shogun took the butt of his sword and knocked her hard in the skull, with Kitty instantly loosing consciousness. My jaw dropped, was she really out cold? From only one hit to the head? How strong was Shogun?

He picked her up and dropped by the wall of a nearby building. "Ok, Hiro....Let's make a little bet...."

I glared at him. "What kind of bet?"

"Ohhh, it's not that big of a deal.....Just that basic 'if you win, you get a prize. If I win I get a prize.' Want to know what you get if you win?"

I nodded slightly.

"Well too bad, cause first you need to know what I get."

I clenched the powerful wooden weapon between my hands. He was really angering me.

"My prize is very simple. I already own this wonderful piece of art you used to wield so I'll obviously take this young C'tarl with me.....I could put her to good use...."

My teeth were grinding together. "What do I get?"

"Oh! What do you get? Ummmm, man I don't know. I'll just let you choose. You can either have your sword back.....Or.....The girl."

I stayed silent. My initial decision was spit. I've been looking such a long time for Shogun with the only thought of retrieving my sword. I loved that sword....I shook my head, my spilt decision didn't last long.

"When I win I get Kitty back."

He laughed in his insane way and nodded his head. "Ok, deal! Guess I keep the sword after all!"

Not if I kill you... I thought silently to myself.

"Hmm, no response huh? Eh, ok then. Let's go!" His hand reached into his coat and a moment later four throwing daggers came speeding at my head. I raised my bokudo and deflected the shots at the same time running full speed towards Shogun. I wound my sword back and swung it with great force towards his skull. One of his many swords shot from its sheath, keeping my blow from connecting. As our swords locked together I noticed four objects lodged in my weapon. I gasped as I realized what they were.....His four knives were embedded deep in the wood of my sword, I couldn't believe my eyes.

Shogun once again began to laugh. "Ohhh, I'm sorry. Did I ruin your wooden toy?"

I clenched my teeth together so hard that they threatened to crush under the pressure. It was impossible, nothing should be able to piece my mother's sacred weapon. I looked at him. "You will pay for this, Shougun."

He grinned widely. "Talk is cheap, Hiro!! Just hurry and kill me already! Unless you think.....YOU CAN'T!" He took a sword in his free hand and slashed at my side, cutting through my kimono and slicing into flesh. I jumped back and held my side, history seemed to be repeating itself. This was exactly how he beat me so many years ago.....

"Hiro...." I could hear my mother's voice in my head. "Hiro.....Use the power of my weapon. Embrace its strength and let if be your own...Allow it to flow through you, Hiro...." It was a memory of mine from when she first gave this weapon to me. She knew it had abilities that no one could fathom.....She was trying to tell me to use them. Well now I was going to...

I stood back up and put all my thought into the bokudo and slowly a green aura enveloped the weapon, growing in size and luster. Soon the aura surrounded my own body. I could feel the incredible body in my muscles, in my bones.....In my soul.

My head shot up towards Shogun. "You want my full power, Shougun! Here it is!!!"

I ran forward and leap into the sky floating within my own aura for a moment, locking my sights on my enemy. The soft aura quickly became a raging storm of energy around me and my Bokudo. It washed in and out of the wooden sword so much that the mystical weapon was more then just wood. Now it was made of the same energy flowing through my veins. This was it, I was ready and Shogun would finally pay for his wrong doing.

The moment of silence was over, I rocketed myself at Shogun ready to thrust everything I had into him. I movement through the sky was a quick one and within seconds our swords clashed causing my energy to erupt all around sending fierce winds in every direction.

The light and force of the attack consumed both of us as the powerful winds were quickly followed by a sudden explosion between us. It rocketed us in different directions and I felt as if I was flying for eternity before I finally hit the ground.

The light was gone, the energy was gone. My strength, power, will to fight.....Was gone....I lied there on the ground unmoving wondering if Shogun was dead, wonder if I were dead, wondering if Kitty was dead. I sighed, she was close to our fight the explosion caught her too, most likely.

I sat up and cried out in pain, my whole body was torn up. I looked down and saw blood covering my black kimono in thick coats. I gradually moved myself to my knees and took my bokudo off the ground to use as support. To my horrid shock I saw something I never thought would ever happen. My sword, no, my mother's bokudo....Was shattered. All that was left was a bit of the bottom half and that was it. Nothing......It was utterly destroyed.

I couldn't help but shed a few tears. This was my mother's pride and joy how was I going to tell her that it was destroyed? As I sat there being consumed by self-pity I heard footsteps coming towards me. They sounded like bare feet hitting concrete. I looked up and wiped the tears from my eyes. "Kitty, you're ok!"

She nodded and smiled. "Damn right I am! Do you really think some hit to the skull would take me out so easily? I just wanted you to fight the guy by yourself so if I acted like I was out then he wouldn't worry about me. But if he WAS about to kill you, I would have jumped in."

"So....SO you heard everything too?"

Her smile widened. "Yep, I did. It's a relief I mean to you more then this sword." She threw a weapon to my feet and I instantly knew what it was.

"My sakabato?"

"Yep, I picked it off his now dead-and-blown-into-pieces body. You really did a number on that guy, Hiro....Or should I say Hiro of the Crimson ni-"

"Do not finish that sentence. That past is behind me." I stood back to my feet picking up my katana off the ground, holding deep in my fist. "I swear here and now that I will do my best to transform this universe into its forgotten luster.....And I will do that without spilling one inch of innocent blood."

Her smile never faded. "I have complete faith in you Hiro, plus if you ever REALLY need someone killed....We can always ask Strife." She laughed after saying this.

A grin finally found itself to my face. "Ready to go back?"

She nodded. "Oh hell yeah. You might also want to get those wounds looked at?"

"Perhaps I will.....Let's just hurry and get back first...."

We started our walk back to the ship with my sakabato once again in my grasp and my mother's decimated bokudo to stay with my as a memorial to this day....I'll repay you mother.....I promise.

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Author's note: WOW!! That took a looooooong time to update again! Sorry about that....I'm pretty lazy and it finally caught up to me. I can't promise regular updates but I can try to get a chapter of a least once a week. Hopefully if I get all not lazy like I'll start updating more often.....Oh oh oh! And can you tell what new magna I just started reading...? Whoever can guess who I'm slightly basing Hiro off will receive a pat on that back by some person who just so happened to be walking by. It's actually not that hard to figure out if you read the magna/watch the anime....His sword at least should give it away.

Oh and Macky.....Yeah, I'd like to know what ideas are brewing in your head if you even remember them.....Gah, sorry again for the loooong updates.

Ooooooooooooooooooook, not a lot to say this time. Hope you guys aren't loosing interest.

BTW? Did you like the UBER long chapter? Hiro's my fave guy so I had to do a lot with him all at once.....Hope it wasn't overkill.

BTW....Again. I found out what a wooden sword was called. I was kinda right except I was missing the 'do' at the end.

So like every time, this is Blades. "Good reading equals good times." I'm out.