Last chapter wasn't my best ever, but, I got something done with it. Now, I'll tell you that almost all of these pasts are made-up. The only one ever revealed was Suikotsu's, so, I had to make them up! Anyway, enjoy!

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE! HELP ME!" Jakotsu roared at me.

I looked over the pile of mushrooms that were surrounding him.

They were all wiggling, and I couldn't find it in me to touch one.

"How do I...?" My voice trailed as I spotted an acorn amongst the mushrooms.

There were sealing characters on it.

So, these mushrooms were just illusions?

I reached out, and plucked that acorn from the bunch of mushrooms.

All at once, all of those mushrooms became acorns, and fell off of Jakotsu.

He kicked the ones at his feet, sending them flying across the clearing.

I swear, I saw a bird fall down somewhere in the trees from being hit by one of those acorns.

Jakotsu stepped down from the boulder, and turned to glare at me.

I leaned back a bit, ready to start moving away, if it came to it.

"You are absolutely useless!" He said. "If you're going to stick around, and spy on my date, you might as well kill off interferences! You could've easily knocked that fox out if you threw one of the rocks at your feet!"

I cast a brief glance downward, and saw that there were, indeed, rocks at my feet.

Bringing my eyes back up to Jakotsu, I frowned just a little deeper.

"As though I'd scratch up my hands any more than they've already been scratched!" I said. "I'm not going to ravage myself if I don't have to!"

I shouldn't have said that... I shouldn't have even thought it.

Before I knew it was coming, Jakotsu's fist connected with my face, throwing me across the clearing, and sending me rolling across the ground.

"You know, it's little snot-nosed, bratty bitches like you that really piss me off!" Jakotsu called after me. "I don't know how I put up with you even this long!"

Fear over-took me.

The moment I was up, I started running.

I could hear Jakotsu's sword lashing at the ground behind me.

I was evading him, though. Perhaps he was slow. Perhaps there was a chance I would escape with my life.

I saw the trees coming to an end ahead.

No! Stop! You need to stay in the trees for protection!

I pulled back, and dug in my heels... to no avail.

I tumbled out of the trees.

Beyond those trees was a steep hill. With no time to regain my balance, I fell forward, and went rolling down that hill, over rocks, and twigs.

I screamed and cried in pain, and couldn't stop myself from rolling. Not even when I reached level ground.

Suddenly, I hit something. It felt like two, upright sticks.

I heard a splashing sound, as I began trying to steady my dizzy head.

Something hot and wet splashed onto my back, scolding me, and causing me to scream.

I writhed around, trying to apply pressure to my burning back.

I couldn't touch it, though. The cut on my back would not allow it.

I was vaguely aware of the voices around me.

People were screaming, and yelling. Beyond that, I heard metal clanging, and the sound of lots of fluids spilling.

I cast my some-what steady eyes around in time to spot a couple of soldiers fall to the ground, blood flying from their bellies.

I'd rolled into an army camp ground, and the soldiers there were all going after Jakotsu, who was eagerly slaughtering them as they came at him.

Their numbers began increasing, obscuring my view of Jakotsu.

I slowly sat up, lightly weeping in agony, as my cut protested to my movement.

I could see Jakotsu again. His face was slowly losing his previous smile, as the soldiers gradually increased their numbers beyond Jakotsu's limit.

He was becoming fearful for his life. He was about to lose this battle.

On one hand, I was happy. I was the reason this filthy abomination was about to be destroyed.

On the other... he'd called me useless... a snot-nosed brat... yet, here he was, about to die... I could decide not to help him now... I could choose to let him die, as pay-back for his cruel words.

As I watched the fear become more and more plain on his face, I thought about his pitiful past... about all the pitiful pasts of the members of the Shichinintai... and how they said I could never understand the pain they've gone through.

My chest ached now, blocking out the pain in my back. Something, in the deepest darkest part of my mind, was trying to surface.

Slowly, I cast my eyes over to one of the dead soldiers, and spotted a sword.

"Wakaranai... ka?" I said.

I reached over, and pulled that sword out.

The blade shone like the sun itself. It was perfectly smooth, but for a few notches in the edge, from having collided with other blades. The hilt was firmly attached. It wasn't falling off anytime soon.

A very good sword if I do say so myself.

I slowly rose to my feet, the sword still in hand.

A choking sensation rose up in my throat. My body felt a bit colder. For a moment, I felt like my hair was floating around me. Pain... like no other... but, why?

I pushed it back. I didn't want to remember this pain.

I raised the sword in my hands, and brought it down on the first man I could reach, putting a deep gash in his back.

He screamed in agony, falling to the side, knocking over a few other soldiers.

I plowed through, swinging that sword as I'd seen my brother swing it.

I wasn't sure how many soldiers I'd hit. I just knew that I was getting closer to Jakotsu with each one.

Soon, I found him, trying to swing his chain of swords, but, unable to get enough force to do damage, because he was crowded by so many men.

I raised the sword, and quickly started cutting away at them.

They fell away easily. Some began challenging me, keeping me from doing anymore damage for a minute, before I killed them.

I was now becoming surrounded, and beginning to panic.

All I could do was fight. I started to forget the moves I'd watched so many times back home, and found myself screaming when blocking attacks coming my way.

"Oh, shut up, already!" Came a shout.

Right about then, everything fell silent, and all the soldiers froze with horrified looks on their faces.

I spun around every which way, expecting someone to strike.

All of a sudden, they all leaned toward me.

I shrieked in horror as they piled up on top of me.

It was quite a little bit before I realized that everyone in that pile, except for me, was dead, and stopped screaming.

With difficulty, I crawled out of that pile, putting my hands on the ground to brace myself to get my feet out. Before I could, a pair of feet stepped into my line of sight.

I knew these feet all too well. I'd spent so many hours staring at them today, for lack of new scenery to stare at.

I turned my face away from them as I pulled my legs out of the pile of dead soldiers, and stood up.

"What's your deal?" Jakotsu asked, exasperated. "I was going to kill you back there. Why try to help me?"

I looked up at him.

At first, I thought it was because I wanted to prove a point. Then, I thought it was to push away the strange pain. But, now... No, it couldn't be. There's no way I pity this creature enough to care...

I scoffed, and folded my arms.

"I had a point to prove to you." I said. "No one destroys my pride in such a manner as you did, without having their actions repaid in full."

His face fell, slightly. What? Did he actually expect me to say I cared? Was he disappointed?

For a moment, the two of us were silent. I began to feel strange... this probably wasn't the first time I'd disappointed someone... but...

I shook my head, and looked around.

"I... I'm going to gather some supplies for our travels." I said. "Wait right here."

I went into the camp, and gathered up some food, and medical supplies into a basket.

Along the way, I found a kimono, with a purple floral pattern. It was a bit short, but, it was pretty.

I quickly pulled off my yukata, and pulled the kimono on, before I continued my search.

Once that basket was full, I went back, and found Jakotsu still in his place.

He was watching a giant bee, hovering a foot from his face.

After a moment, that bee flew off, and Jakotsu looked at me.

"Hmm? Weren't you just wearing a white kimono?" Jakotsu asked.

"Baka!" I scoffed. "I couldn't keep wearing that flimsy thing. It would surely fall apart at the rate I'm going."

I picked up two sheathed swords, and stuck them into my obi.

"We don't need those." Jakotsu said.

"They're for me." I said. "I have a knack for sword fighting. I will not be left defenseless when I am perfectly capable of defending myself. Now, where are we headed?"

Jakotsu sighed, sliding his sword back into the sheathe on his back as he turned, and started walking toward a nearby road. I followed him through the night.

By morning, we reached a temple, where Jakotsu sat down to talk to Renkotsu, while I was stuck serving them food and drinks the whole time...

Wakaranai ka - Don't understand, huh?

Yukata - Thin kimono.

Baka - Stupid.

Geez... I don't know what to say. Maybe you do, though. Please, review!