Okay, everybody I just got the required amount of reviews and the awaited chapter is now being posted. I know you all get very angry at me when I put up those NOT A CHAPTER chapters, but it's the only way to get you lazy people to review.

ANY WAY…. This chapter is to celebrate New Year's Eve, Christmas, Hanukah, and all the other holidays celebrated this year… Admittedly it isn't Christmas-y but I'm working on it! Besides, I don't really get that wet stuff you northerners call snow, I get Ice and Sleet…. And Hail…. But that's about it…. (Cries) Just once I want a White Christmas… I always have brown ones…

(Mak-kun shows up and sees Ruroni-chan crying in a corner… Sighs) Well it looks like I'll have to take Ruroni-chan out for a walk again… Writers are so picky if you don't walk 'em or feed 'em they turn to mush. (turns and walks over to where the leashes are) Come on Ruroni-chan lets go for a walk….

(Ruroni-chan turns on him) Kiss my ass, I'm not letting you put that thing on me. And I'm not falling for that Pokki trick again.

(Mak-kun smiles) Oh really? (Holds up mega-box of chocolate pokki) If you write the next chapter I'll give you this whole box.

(Ruroni wants the pokki but…) I believe the proper phrase for that would be HELL NO!!!

(Mak-kun still smiling) Not even if I add in a pound of chocolate and three dozen Ginger-bread cookies?

(Ruroni glomps him) HAND OVER THE SWEETS AND NO ONE WILL BE HURT!!!

Please read, review and enjoy, while the camera crew tries to keep Ruroni-chan from eating Mak-kun's hand.

I touched down in the center of the practice field. I didn't bring my wings back into my body until both my feet were on the ground; I was just too tired to fall to the earth. My hair hung down my back in a tangled rat's nest, I wasn't looking forward to brushing it out. I just clapped my hands and pictured my hair in its smooth, if not wild, waves, before running my fingers through my hair and pulling back into a low ponytail, at least low for my hairstyle. My mind was abuzz with what I'd just done. I was too pumped up to sleep, and too tired to do anything resembling duty. I'd already missed my shift anyway.

I clapped my hands again and pressed them to the ground. Sandstone figures popped up all over the practice field. I was more aware of my sword at my hip, for a moment. I shifted my stance the sheath tapped my opposing leg. My hand moved in a liquid like movement, to hold the hilt. I stood like that for a moment, one hand on the hilt, the other at its ever present place on the sheath, my feet comfortable apart, my head down and eyes closed.

The anger inside me swelled suddenly. I tried to force it down, but to know avail. I forced myself to think of a song. And found one, the music started on an upbeat. My heel found the rhythm. (Please to under stand what's going one listen to Move Alongby All American Rejects)

I drew my sword in one smooth move, cutting down one figure in the down stroke.

I went into a crouch and charged what seemed like a random stone figure.

My sword went smoothly into the chest height of the figure. I twisted the blade changing the direction of the sharp side. I turned my back to the figure, and pulled the blade down in a cutting motion. The figure behind me broke, sending showers of dirt clods into the air.

The image of Hughes's killer went into my sight, I attacked the nearest figure. What would have been its head went flying. I moved to the next dodging an imaginary attack.

The next figure crashed to the ground after an upward slice took off its upper torso.

I flipped over another figure to attack the one on the other side of it. Stabbing the head with the first foot of my sword, before pulling the tip out and attacking the figure I'd jumped over. Simultaneously I sent a blind back kick through the figure behind me. The figure flew two feet, making another behind it fall.

I jumped, landing so I'd startle the downed two figures. I put the tip of the sword through the fallen figure's 'heart'. Then pulled it out and turned to the next cluster of figures.

Images of Hughes's death, and Ross's death flooded my mind, I couldn't stand it, the looks on their faces. The look of someone who had been betrayed by someone they thought they could trust. I took out three more figures, sweeping motions, charges, and flips acting as my movement. I was at battle, a battle with my own mind, but the movement of attacks and dodges solidified my will power.

I'd only been this upset once, but that time no one had died because of my lack of action. The memory of my mother telling me I could no longer go to the dojo came into my mind. That felt like it had just been the other day, but it had happened nine months ago. Nine months had past, I should have graduated by now. I attacked another figure, flipping over it as I cut through its torso.

I cut down the more figures using long slashes. Five, six, seven, eight, I counted off the beats, keeping my slashes in time. I should have been traveling Europe with grandpa, not fighting a war.

I pulled back into a crouch.

At the first along my feet left the ground, in a spinning flip, I felt the blade draw across one figure then a second before I landed. I jumped again, after stabbing another figure, this time I did a back flip. I barely made it over a second figure drawing the blade down his backbone. For the final Along, I pulled a move I'd already used, putting the sword through a figure's neck, and sending the head flying.

There were only one or two figures left. I walked slowly towards them.

I reach a sword length away from the figure.

My sword found a home in the heart of one of the figures, I twisted it so the blade face towards the right, and pulled it through the figures side leaving a giant gap in it's side before it crumbled.

One figure left. I felt tired. My head hurt. I let my feet take me to that last figure.

I stood in front of the figure. It had no face, no mind, no spirit. I shouldn't have been angry at it, but I was. I raise my sword in a defensive posture. My hands were shaking, I gripped them harder, trying to steady them.

The figure turned into the man I'd seen all those months ago in the market place. I some how knew he was connected to Hughes's death.

I didn't notice my sword slash through the figure several times, until after I'd felt the odd grinding sensation past through my hands.

My sword lowered. The figure fell. I let my left hand drop from the hilt. My eyes went to the sky. I felt its call. When I'd been flying I hadn't felt that pain, I hadn't felt anything. It was as though the wind was whipping away my sadness. Wanting to lift me up and take me away from all that pain. But something else kept me grounded. Tears hazed my view of the night stars. I let myself sway with the little breezes that played with my suddenly loose hair.

I leaned on my sword the tip finding a stand in the earth. I leaned heavily, as the music faded from my mind. I was tired, so tired. I was tired of fighting, of loosing people. I was tired of death. I went to my knees, my hands still on the hilt. My head sunk between my arms. My hands gripped the cord that was wrapped around the wooden handle. Then they slid down, the blade, duller now, left ribbons of pain in my palms and fingers. I let it. I was too tired to care any longer. My mind felt blank.

(Ruroni-chan currently eating five sticks of pokki while rocking back and forth happily, Mak-kun has survived the attack. He turns to the camera) Well I think we all learned something today. You learned that Dalka can kick ass, and… well… I learned to never get between Ruroni-chan and her sweets…. (Men should learn to never come between a woman and her chocolate)

(Still Mak-kun) Well if you didn't listen to the song while reading the above you missed out on a lot. I'm sure if Ruroni-chan were available… (Looks at Ruroni-chan, she's currently singing the 'I've got candy' song) She would thank you for reading and remind you to review.

(Final words) Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go see about getting Rabies shots, (Turns to leave grumbling) I swear one minute she's fine the next she's mauling me…

Ruroni-chan and her snoring cat would like to thank last chapter's reviewers and Syldoran-chan, for their support, and offer her Apologies to all the victims of her sugar induced attacks (this includes Mak-kun)

THANK YOU REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!!