I totally forgot that this was the place that I almost died from the big drop. From the looks of things, I think I have a little visit to my once existing town. But first, I had better things to do.

Through the forest I was searching again. Trying to find another fragment of my past. I slashed my way through the forest with my rusty but sturdy sword. This forest hasn't changed much since I been here... well... maybe for the lack of trees (because of the lumbermen). Either than that... there's no difference.

I came upon a big house, still had the feudal era look. It was once flourishing with students of martial arts, kendo, tae kwon do, and other classes. Sensei Ton, the wisest person I knew in my whole life, used to occupy this place. When I first saw his stern and demanding stature, my legs were shaking. I hid behind a tree, watching him teach his pupils the basics of these arts. I looked like a beggar at that moment, so I was afraid that he would assume that I was going to steal some valuable stuff from his property. Suddenly, he turned and my eyes met his.

"You there!" the man said with a deep thundering voice, "State your name!"

I stood there, frozen.

"I SAID to state your name!"

"Uh... Sakura..." I whispered.

"What was that?"

"SAKURA!"

The man stood there for a minute, thinking about something while looking at me strangely. Then it hit me. He was looking at my marks, the dried blood staining my clothes, the death but kind look of my face; he was studying me inside out.

I took a step back into the forest. He looked like he woke up from some type of trance and started walking up to me, with his great feet taking step by step. I was frightened to death, seeing that he had a sword with him. His eyes never left me when he prodded towards me. I was stiff and my hope was gone. I knew I couldn't escape my punishment. I thought I did, but like Ms. Coco said "Punishment is like a boomerang, you may try to avoid it at the first toss, but it will always come back to you." Her words came to be.

He finally stopped before me, towering over me. I trembled, but yet I looked at him straight in the eye with a look saying 'I'm ready to face my end'. Then, the most unexpected thing happened.

He picked me up and put me on his shoulder. He smiled and said, "Welcome to Genbu Martial Arts Temple."

As I look back on that day, I can never shake off the compassionate feeling from Sensei Ton. Although he was rigorous in his training, he always had the tenderness of a father, something I never had before. Now that I think about it, why didn't I accept it? Why didn't I think of leaving him alive? He never deserved to die...

Then I remembered why I killed him along with the whole school...

It has been 3 years since I joined the school. At first I felt it was wrong to live in a nobleman's house when you're the peasant, working for people since 5 years old. It took me about 10 minutes just to place one foot on his floor of his temple when I first entered. We walked into the main lobby of his owned house and shelter. Finally, he placed me down on the floor and clapped his hands twice. Suddenly, students aging from 10-17 flooded the room with excitement and curiosity.

When they first saw me, the first thing they recognized about me was my body, still showing the visible black marks from my previous outbreak. It looked like someone used it for calligraphy. I heard their whispers,

"Look! There's a new student!"

"She looked like she's been in the butcher shop."

"Look at her tattoos."

"Whoa! Weird, but cool!"

"She looks kinda cute."

Even though I hated when people gossip about me, this gossip... sounded good. The comments were more positive, more inviting, and much more warmer than the past ones I heard throughout my life. Sensei Ton's face grew back to the rock-hardened one I met.

"Students!" he called out for attention, "This is Sakura!" He introduced me to the class, "I know she's just 7 years old,"

More whispers aroused.

"But I can see a great potential in her." he continued, "So I expect full respect and no contempt from your mouths about anything that contains negative connotations about her."

Then Sensei Ton called upon some students. One showed me where the shower was so I could clean myself up for dinner. Without any complaints, I allowed the students to show me my own small room, and then I took my shower, put on the change of clothes, which they set for me on my bed, and went to the dining hall for dinner.

That day, I got to know some of the students. Maribel, one student at the age of 10, became my best and first friend since then. She said that she'd been here since 7, the same age I became a student. Now she's 13, and I'm 10. I always looked up to her as an older sister, even though I surpassed her level in swordsmanship, since she's more responsible and more elegant. But now... it seems she's so far away... since Syaoran came to this residence two months ago. She always tried to impress him with her art of the Wild Ocean, moving her thin and slender body like waves being controlled by the wind master. Her blond silky hair resembled the tip of the wave when it whips the rocks and shores of the land. But sadly, it didn't impress him. What did impress him was I.