Chapter 3

The ronin awoke from his unexpected sleep. He lay there on the road where he had somehow fallen asleep. For a moment, he tried to remember what had happened. He remembered that he dreamed of that gray man in armor, Oda Nobunaga as he identified himself. He then noticed something. The sword sheathe he was given by Nobunaga was in his hand! It was a really strange dream. He took out the blade, which Nobunaga called Oniken from it's sheathe. From the moment he took it out, he felt great power flow through him. It was a traditional Japanese styled sword where the grip and the blade was slightly curved in a very thin crescent shape. It's smooth, polished silvery blade shined as it reflected sun light. After studying it, he remembered those words from Nobunaga: "Ye who bears the blood of the demons!...Henceforth, you shall be called Heero!...You will carve your destiny with this demonic blade..." The words echoed through his mind. But if this was what was expected of him, shouldn't he be given guidance? Not knowing what to do, but knowing that you should do what you can who decided to take on the name Heero.

"Heero…" said a voice out of no where. He knew who's voice it was. Nobunaga's. "You must become a true samurai and a Master you must find…" said Nobunaga. "Your destined Master is held captive in the Imperial Prison in Tokyo. Find her…and serve her…and know what path to choose from as you fulfill your duty." And with that said, Nobunaga's voice faded away, saying no more.

Heero continued on the path he was going on. After a few hours or so, there was a sign that said "This way to Tokyo." As he got closer to the sign, he felt something inside him. It was a feeling that he believed was telling him to head to Tokyo. Should he? But he knew that his instinct was the only thing he could trust. It was also something every samurai was supposed to do. He always had to rely on it. He started running on the path that led to Tokyo. As he did so, the feeling inside him started to grow stronger.

It was time! Tonight, daddy would be home. They were going to be family again. Both her mother and Relena awaited anxiously for the mansion's rightful master. Mommy had prepared a special dinner for them. But they would not eat until he came. Suddenly, they heard the doorbell ring. Excitedly, Relena and her mother rushed to the door from the kitchen full of appetizing aroma hoping to see daddy. Instead it was a man in Union army uniform.

"Excuse me Madam, I am Captain O'Connell. I have something to discuss with you. May we talk in private?" Relena saw as her mother nodded in consent with some worry and they both went into daddy's office. Not long after they got in, she heard her mother cry loudly. Immediately, she rushed into the office. She saw the Union army officer trying to comfort her mother as she cried for some reason. For what? Seeing Relena come in the room, he came over to her.

"Good evening my lady" the officer said casually. He left for the door to leave. Running over to her mother, Relena asked: "What's wrong mommy?! Where's daddy?!" Looking at her young daughter with a face full of sadness and tears, she began to talk through sobs. "Relena...(sniffing)..I have something to tell you...(sniffing)...Your daddy..he's..." But her mother bursted into harder tears as she told her.

"Relena!, Relena! Are you alright!" said a voice. Relena looked around her surroundings. Her vision was blurry at first, but it soon adjusted within a few moments. In front of her was Duo. But her view of him was odd because it seemed as if he was holding her in her arms...and his head looked like it was sticking out of the right side of her sight. Oh no! Relena's senses were now fully aware and she was laying down in Duo's arms! She quickly got out of them and stared at Duo with a surprised but face that was calm and mad at the same time. She thought for a moment, remembering what happened and the image of Hamabashi slapping her...frightened just by thinking of it, she went over to the side of the jail wall and sat down wrapping her arms around her legs. "What's wrong?" Duo asked her. Reluctantly, she replied: "Nothing. I just want to be alone for a while."

A while had passed and Duo decided to lie down on the floor of the jail. The way Relena had treated him during their voyage and the way she behaved just now made him feel all lonely inside. With nothing to do he thought of his past. There was that image of a dark blue haired girl with sky blue eyes. His first love Hilde Scheibiker. But she was someone long gone now. He was about to think about the good and old times they had together until someone appeared in front of the jail's bar's. He saw that it was a man with red orange hair with an "X" scar on his cheek. Duo saw as the man with his sword make inhumanly quick slashes with his sword on the bars of the jail. In no time, all the bars were cut into pieces.

"C'mon, let's get out of here!" said the man. Duo got up to leave, but saw that Relena didn't move. He called out to her: "Hey! Let's get outta here!" Seeing that she was about to make no move whatsoever, he hurried over and pulled her arm and ran with the man. Relena consented by not trying to resist. They ran to a wooden wall that seemed like it had a square large enough for a door. On the other side was the outside itself. Duo could see that it was night already. They stepped outside and the man got the piece he cut out of the wooden door and put it back and it looked as if it weren't cut in the first place.

"Now let's run to the cover of the forest ahead. Kaoru will be here shortly" the man said as they ran. They waited in a spot where he told them to wait. Only a few minutes later, a woman appeared on horseback holding strings that were connected to saddles on two other horses. They got on. The man and woman got on their own horses but Duo and Relena shared. It was a good thing he was here she thought reluctantly holding on to his waist while on the saddle. He knew how to ride a horse.

They had been riding shortly in fields and it seemed safe, but then there were horses all around them! They were beleaguered now. The riders were equipped with rifles and swords. "Damnit!" Duo cursed. Since there were too many of them, there was no point in trying to outrun them. But then, out of nowhere, a young man appeared and ran around in a circle just one time and his circumference was enough for the perimeter of the horses that surrounded them. But all the riders on the horses fell down. They were dead and the horses ran away into the night.

Relena looked at the man who had come to their rescue. How did he run so fast? He looked dangerous with that big sword he wielded she noticed. But she had to admit that he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.

"Hey thanks man. Who are you?" Duo said smiling. But the stranger didn't answer. He turned from behind and looked at Duo in the face. And then he eyed Kenshin and Kaoru. Then finally, Relena. He walked over to her and bowed to the ground as low as he could his face facing the ground. "Master, I have come to offer you my services" he said. Relena sat on the horse behind Duo surprised. "Who are you? And why did you call me Master?" she asked. Unlike before when Duo asked, he now answered without wasting time and with no hesitation. "I am Heero Master. You are my master, and I shall serve you unquestionably and will die trying to do so." He answered dutifully.

Up above in the heavens, the full moon shined a glowing bright white.