An* I do not own Claymore in any way.

All right, I feel that I should warn you all now. I am reaching the point where i am almost caught up with the story itself, so i will be updating less often on this story. I am sorry for the inconvience.

Seven Years

It had been seven years since the battle in Pieta and all of them had grown stronger. They could all sense youki without unleashing their own and each had learned new attacks that didn't require the youki. It was on this day that Christopher returned from a scouting trip to find that three awakened beings were dead and three claymores were unconscious. Moving quietly he saw the fourth one, who still had color in her hair had found the grave site and was counting the claymores one by one.

'Shit. Not good.' He thought as he leapt to the higher peak where he sensed Miria, Deneve and Helen. Standing next to them he noticed that Tabatha and Cynthia were climbing back up from healing the three warriors down below, but Clare and Yuma were missing.

"Where did Clare and Yuma go?" Christopher asked.

"I sent Yuma with Clare. She is out searching another town." Deneve said as they watched the claymore down below.

"Still looking for that boy? Well I can't say I blame her. If someone that close to me disappeared I would search for them too." Christopher said as he gave a sideways glance at Miria. They waited until the four warriors left and then returned to the cave to wait for Clare and Yuma. That evening the two returned and Clare said that she was leaving.

"WHAT?! You want to leave Pieta and head south??! What the hell is wrong with you?! Do you want to become the organizations target?!" Helen raged.

"I don't know whether Raki is still in the northern land. On the contrary, he should be thinking that, I didn't know he was taken to the north in the first place. It's hard to think Raki stayed in the northern lands all of these seven years. If he is still alive he has gone south." Clare replied.

"Huh?! Still this crap?!" Helen shouted.

"Clare… I'm sorry but I'll be blunt here: That kid is most likely…" Deneve began as Miria silenced her with a move of her hand.

"Certainly, we left Pieta suppressing out youki with the pills. That's why we have no way of knowing, whether human or yoma passed through there after that. But that probability is very low. Tell me what evidence you base this belief on." Miria said. Christopher leaned forward, looking forward to the explanation.

"I found traces of Raki in one of the northern towns. A dungeon." Clare began, surprising all but Yuma who had been there with her "But the keys were untouched. Probably because they couldn't look for the keys before trying to escape… or they just abandoned him. Anyways Raki broke down part of the wall with his own strength and escaped through that hole. But doing that all by himself must have taken more than one or two days. But that was actually his luck. Those that hurried to the surface when the awakened beings attacked, became their prey. After escaping the dungeon Raki sees the already ruined town. It is a scenery of desperation, but he takes heart and finds human food. If he managed to arrange some equipment as well, surviving shouldn't have been that difficult. Next if he could get his hands on a horse, or some allies, possibly both…"

"Don't rely on your persuasive powers here. That is a frail and foolish way of thinking." Miria interrupted "Take up your sword, Clare." Christopher grinned as he followed the two outside and prepared to see the fruits of the twos training. He watched as the two clashed with all of their power to the point that it was a standstill. Once they finished Miria asked what was on her mind.

"Let me ask one thing: Are you only going south to look for that boy Raki?"

"Nah. I planned to do this eventually, this thing with Raki is just an occasion."

"Then what about your other reasons for going south?"

"I have no intention of naming them. Just this: I have a lot of unfinished business in the south. The many souls inside me will not forgive the time I have spent here in peace." Miria then sheathed her blade.

"Very well. If you have that level of skill you shouldn't be outdone, even by high ranking single digits." Miria said to Clare before looking at the rest who had been watching the fight "Sorry but as of now I resign as your commanding officer. Each of you is free to do as they wish."

"Wha?" Helen gasped.

"I will go south with her, and together with her I will exact revenge for our fallen comrades." Miria said "No need to worry. You all have grown strong in these last seven years. And there should be no need to worry that the organization will chase you as long as you are here, in the north." Then Helen unleashed Jeans Tornado Sword on a nearby rock.

"Oi, Oi, Miria. Aren't you acting a little stuck up there? You aren't the only one out for revenge." Helen grinned savagely.

"Helen…" Miria began.

"Really now… What do you think we have been training until we threw up blood these last seven years? Seems a little excessive to hide in the north and stay alive." Deneve replied.

"Deneve…"

"I… I want to come too. I want revenge as well, for Veronica and the others." Cynthia stammered.

"My commander has always been you. Where ever you go, I will as well." Tabatha said.

"Cynthia… Tabatha…"

"Please take me along as well." Yuma said "I know I will be a drag, but I don't want it to end like this either. When push comes to shove… you can throw me away any time. So please…"

"Yuma…"

"Don't think I am letting you ladies have all the fun. Besides, what self respecting man would leave seven beautiful women to wander the land by themselves." Christopher grinned.

"The battles objective this time won't be surviving, like it was seven years ago. You could even say that this battle will go against the very ideal about survival. It should be even harder than the one seven years ago. We fought hard for these lives, and there is no one here that will blame you, if you choose to stay here. What if the warriors who lost their lives wished for you to live like this? Would that still not change your mind?" Miria asked looking at each one of their unwavering faces "I see… We all feel the same. Alright then let's go, joined by our comrades spirits in Pieta." They all then left the mountains heading across the frozen lands and back to the green lands of the south, that they all called home.