I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Ryu, Liza, and Reiko are mine!

Epilogue

A Fresh Start

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, you and boats don't go together, you know?"

"Mugen, that was three years ago! I know how to swim now, damn you!"

"Hey, hey, stop hitting me! Save that for the bedroom."

"Would the two of you knock it off? You'll blow our cover!"

Reiko gave a sigh as she leaned against the railing of the ship.

It had been three years since the end of the journey to search for the Sunflower Samurai. The plan was for the group to eventually go their own ways but it just…never happened. Ryu learned to hold his sword in his left hand but…it just felt wrong to separate everyone. Instead, they continued to travel around all over Japan; until now, at least.

"Are you sure about this, Liza?" Ryu's voice made the blonde turn from the pirate beside her. "I mean…it's a whole new world."

"I know," She grinned. "For all of us."

About a month ago, Liza announced that she wanted to leave Japan. Mugen was instantly down for it, the man following Liza everywhere she went, no matter what it was. Ryu was a bit nervous about it but Fuu was excited to see another country. The one she really had to convince to do this with her was Jin.

The said Ronin was against it from the beginning, but Liza eventually won him over with the thought of starting his own dojo and continuing on his teacher's work in another country.

The law was still after them all. Several times they had to fight them off, adding more and more blood to their hands. The only chance for them to lead normal lives now was to leave Japan completely. Liza had admitted to the older man that she was nervous, afraid. What if this didn't work? But, she said that they had to try. In order to get a fresh start and live normal lives, they had to try.

Besides, Fuu didn't want to raise her and Ryu's child while on the run from the law.

The said pregnant woman was currently grinning from her place at the stairs, Ryu beside her. You could just notice the bump her stomach was turning into. Three months along. It was either make the trip now or what until after birth. They had chosen now.

"What's that you got there?" Mugen's voice made Reiko turn to see that he was talking to Liza. The blonde had been looking at a piece of paper before looking at the man beside her.

"It's a letter from Tomura." The blonde answered him.

"Tomura?" Jin repeated, recognizing that name. "Is that not the painter we stayed with in Bunko?"

"The very same," Liza smiled, folding the letter into the fold of her kimono. "He finally finished his painting of me. He wanted me to come see it but…we didn't have time before leaving."

"Wait," Mugen glanced at the woman beside him. "Didn't you kill him?"

Liza gave a smile and leaned her head back to stare at the sky. "I had planned on it, but I just…couldn't do it. Why should he die for what his father did?" She glanced at him. "You're the one that made me start thinking like that. If I had run into him before you, I would have killed him without a second thought."

"At least he's good for something," Reiko snorted from her other side. "It means he's not completely useless like I originally thought."

"Hey! Just ask Elizabeth here if she thinks I'm useless. I'm sure the answer will surprise you."

"We don't need to hear anything more about your sex life, Mugen. The noise you guys make at night is enough to give us any answers we don't willingly want."

Mugen shot him a teasing look. "You're just jealous that you can't make your woman moan like I can."

Reiko chuckled as the arguing continued. She kept her eyes on the horizon though, watching as Japan got further and further from view. She was…nervous. Afraid. There was a lot of emotions running through her right now. This decision was changing all of their lives and it wouldn't be able to be undone in the end.

"They're all excited." Jin commented, moving up beside her. She instantly felt his warmth, comforting her against the cool air of the sea.

"And you're not?" She teased. "I remember you running around, making sure all the preparations were taken care of just yesterday."

Jin flushed, looking away. "Any chance I have to continuing on my Master's legacy…it's what I've wanted since before I even took his life. I am worried about leaving Japan, yes, but this might be the chance any one of us has to lead a normal life."

Silence fell between the tow of them as they watched their home get further and further away from them. Though there was an ache in her heart, Reiko was excited. This…all this was, was another adventure for the six of them. Threads of fate had brought them all together for a reason, they had kept them together, too. It was no longer just her and Liza anymore, all of them had become apart of one of the strangest families in history.

"Fuu's not the only one pregnant," Reiko found herself saying before she could stop herself. Jin glanced at her in shock.

"What?"

She nodded happily. "Elizabeth doesn't want to tell Mugen until we land. Two months without her…monthly visitor has made her quite sure of it. It's one of the reasons why she pushed so hard for the journey to happen now. This fresh start will be what we all need now. And maybe…maybe…" She began softly. "Maybe I'll…after we get there and settled, maybe we can have a child of our own."

Jin paused at her words. His grip on the railing before him had grown tighter before slowly turning to look at the woman beside him again. Over the three years he had coaxed the hard woman from most of her fears, but intercourse was…still off the table. Hearing that…

"Are you sure?"

Reiko turned and smiled up at him. "We won't know until we try, will we?" She leaned her head on his shoulder, giggling slightly as his hair tickled her cheeks. "Thank you, Jin. For everything. For staying and…and for saving me."

Jin stared down at her before wrapping an arm around her, a large smile breaking apart on his face. When he killed his master and turned into a criminal, finding love wasn't anywhere in his mind. He also expected to be on the run from the law for the rest of his days. Going to another country…he wouldn't have to worry about that anymore.

The woman beside him had changed, not only himself, but her as well. She was still curt and when angered like a demon, but her distrust in others had drained away. Thee five that she traveled with, they were all she needed. The Terror Sister had begun to fade, leaving the true Reiko to come forward. He swore to himself, to her, that he would love her, no matter which one she was.

"If Mugen's kid tries to sleep with it though, we're killing it."

A snort escaped Jin's mouth and he kissed the top of her head as he held her close.

"Agreed."

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