Years later, in Fukuoka,

For the millionth time that day, Ren was looking at her old sword. Secretly and silently, she missed her old shinobi life, but that life was way behind her now. However, it was not the sword she missed but her clan, her family. Ren did not have to give up being a shinobi, she and her family could easily rebuild the clan if they wished to, but Ren did not.

She was a shinobi to her uncle's clan and her uncle's clan only. If she would rebuild the clan, it just would not be the same and besides, she has much more important things to focus on.

"Mama!" A ten-year-old girl who looked much like Ren, chirped as she barged in the room. The girl had dark brown hair, light skin, and gold eyes. She was wearing a pink dress and a white headband. Ren looked to her, smiling and held out her arms for the girl to immediately run into. "Hello, Shen, did you have fun at school today?"

Shen pulled away and nodded. "Yes! Today, my friends and I went to the museum! You should have seen it mama! There were all kinds of beautiful paintings!" Her daughter exclaimed before rambling on excitedly. Ren chuckled and patted her daughter's head, stopping her ramble. "It sounded like you had quite the adventure."

"I did! Oh! And do you know what else?!"

"What?" Ren urged.

"My teacher told us about America, especially this city called New York! She said she visited it once when she was younger, and she can safely say that it was the greatest city in the world. She said it is a place where people go when they are searching for something. It is a place for endless opportunities and possibilities. With all different kinds of people and cultures! Do you think we could go there someday?!"

Ren smiled in full amusement at her daughter, loving her curious and adventurous spirit. "We will have to wait and see, Shen." Ren was not against visiting America. She herself has never been, so she was also very curious about it but right now, money was tight.

Despite that though, she and her family had a very happy life. In her old life, being a mother would have never been her first choice but now, she is very happy with how her life turned out.

It was only a year after the war when she had Shen. Ren did not know how to feel about it, she had still not been over her grief but when Shen was born, Ren felt like she could be happy again. Though...she did have to make a few hard decisions.

She had to retire from being a shinobi, abandon her old life of ninjutsu, and...completely turn her back on the council. Ren knew if the council knew she was alive, they would want her to rebuild the Lotus Clan and raise her daughter to be the next heir since she is the blood line of the Lotus family. However, Ren does not want that for her daughter, she does not want her daughter to befall the same fate her clan did, and she knew if she told the council that, they would fight her on it.

It was not even Ren's idea, it was more so her father's suggestion, but she had gladly agreed. Before Shen, Ren was determined to make things right, dedicated to her clan. She planned to be a shinobi for the rest of her life, to die as one but then Shen came, and her safety as well as her needs became priority.

Ren remembers herself as a child, with her father always too busy to spend time with her because he was always off on the battlefield. Ren did not want to do that to Shen. So, Ren decided to officially retire from being a shinobi.

Somedays, she finds herself regretting the decision when she hears people getting hurt on the news because no one was there to protect them...just like no one was there to protect her clan. As a mother, yes, she knows she made the right decision but as a shinobi who vowed she would give her life to protect someone else's...she was not sure. Ren became a shinobi after her mother got attacked by a Foot ninja. She never wanted to see someone so innocent and sweet, get hurt like that ever again. So, she instantly demanded her uncle and father to train her.

Fu, of course, was against it. He never wanted Ren to follow in his footsteps, but she somehow convinced him anyway. Ren did not enjoy fighting; she did not enjoy the field. She simply just wanted to protect those who could not protect themselves but as her father always reminded her, you can not save everyone.

Ren never was a warrior, not like her father but she was for sure a fighter and she will fight till her very last breath for her daughter. The whole world can burn but Shen will not burn with it. Ren will make sure.

"Are you looking at it again?" Shen asked suddenly, startling Ren a bit. She looked at her covered old sword and sighed, "Yes."

Shen looked up at her mother, as if feeling her slight sadness. "Do you miss being a shinobi?"

Ren smiled at her and kissed the top of her forehead. "Only a little but I do not regret it." Shen smiled back. "What was it like? Being a shinobi?" Ren smiled fondly as she remembered her youth. "Well, it was very rewarding, I got to save and meet a lot a people...It is a life that I remember fondly, my life as a shinobi, my clan..." Her smile then faded. "However, there is a heavy price with choosing that path, one I hope you will never pay."

Ren looked Shen in the eyes, suddenly serious. "The life of a shinobi is a very hard one, Shen. There is a lot of pain that comes with wielding a sword. Not just wounds on the body but the mind and spirit as well. It...changes you." Brushing a string of hair out of Shen's face, Ren said, "That is not a life I wish for you. I do not want you to follow the same path I did, understand?"

"Ok, Mama," Shen nodded.

"Ren! Shen!" A voice called and Shen gasped excitedly when she saw her grandfather come in while Ren smiled. "Yeye!" Chuckling, Fu picked up Shen as soon as she ran up to him and dramatically heaved while doing so. "You are getting too big for me to carry you anymore!"

Shen giggled. "Maybe one day, I will be taller than you, Yeye!"

"Now, do not get ahead of yourself, little one" Fu said in a joking manner, making Shen laugh more. Fu then looked at Ren and notice the sword, making his face fall. He cleared his throat before putting Shen down. "Little one, why don't you go and help your grandmother get dinner ready."

"Ok!"

Ren and Fu both watch Shen go with fond smiles before Fu looked at his daughter seriously and kneeled next to her, grabbing something out of his robe and handing it to her. "Another letter from Kenshin."

Ren sighed and took the letter, staring at it. "Did you already read it?" Fu shook his head. "No." Ren frowned. "I used to love him very much, Father...but then when he became part of the council, he...changed."

"I never did like that man," Fu said, his eyes glaring at the letter. Ren shook her head. "I know, you warned me of him, and I did not listen."

"You know that is not what I meant, Ren," Fu said softly. "Kenshin...was a good man in the beginning but when he became part of the council...I knew it would change him. Power can do that to someone, even the purest of souls. I had just hoped he would be different."

Ren nodded. "Even so, he still cares about me enough to keep us hidden from the council...Makes me wonder if the man I fell in love with is still in there somewhere."

"Everyone in the council are all fools, Ren," Fu said sternly. "All of them care more about traditions and the old ways, than their own families. They do not know how to move on, change, and let past be past. They have lived that way for so long, they do not know how to let go."

Ren frowned sadly at that, and Fu noticed. "But...Kenshin is still young; he has not lived as long as the other council members have...so...maybe there is hope for him and if not, let him live his foolish life however he wants, we do not have to do the same."

Ren smiled a bit then looked away. "I am mostly just sad for Shen; I would have loved for her to have a father in her life. One who could teach her what a good man looks like, one who would love her, and protect her no matter what."

"She has you," Fu said firmly, making Ren meet his gaze. "That is the important thing. A daughter needs her mother more than she needs her father."

Ren shook her head, looking at him sternly. "That is not true. I needed you just as much as I needed mama. I looked up to you, I worshipped the ground you walked on...a father is very important to a daughter. Mother was there to support me and encourage me, but you helped make me strong. You taught me how to be resilient and true to myself. You knew how to make me feel strong when I felt weak and you knew how to make me feel fearless when I was scared...Even if you could not be there all the time, you still played a heavy role in my life...and I want Shen to experience that. The love of a father."

Fu looked deeply touched by his daughter's words, shocked even. There was a time when he and Ren would always argue. Over the stupidest things, especially when Ren demanded he train her. Fu never wanted his daughter to follow the same hard path he chose for himself, and it was only because of his brother, that he had agreed to it. Fu still remembers that day, after the Foot first attacked...

"Are you out of your mind, Cheng?!" Fu had yelled at his brother while he lit candles around the temple. "Brother, I thought you of all people would understand."

"You just want Ren to become a Shinobi because you and Tai are unable to have children!" Fu had accused him, and he regretted the words as soon as they fell out of his mouth, but he kept his glare as his brother turned to him sadly. "Do you really think of me in such a way, Brother? You think I would force Ren in a path she does not want, like our father tried to do to you?"

Fu softened slightly then harden again. "Then why are you agreeing to this?! You knew before Lin and I decided to have children, that I did not want them to follow the same path as me!"

"One can not decide another's destiny," His brother said wisely. "I know she is your daughter, Fu, and I share your fear. I love Ren as if she was my own but you and I both know if we tried to deny her, she will just find another way. She is as determined as you were when you were young. It is her choice, and you can not take that away from her."

"But-!"

"Fu Sheng, remember what made you become a shinobi." Fu instantly froze at that, as he gazed at the heavy scares on his brother's left cheek. "Her mother got hurt and she wants to assure that she will never get hurt again, just like you did when I got hurt. She wants to feel safe, and she wants to make sure her family is safe. Who are we to refuse her that security? We can not be around to protect her forever, after all."

Fu hated how his eldest brother was always right. He hated watching Ren go on missions and returning home injured but at the same time, he was also very proud of her. Of the woman she had become. He may have been against it and always tried to get Ren to quit but...he was proud. So, very proud. In all honesty, a father could not be prouder of his daughter, like he is of Ren.

Chuckling softly, Fu said with a smile, "She does not need a father to learn those things. You already are those things. Shen looks up to you and loves you dearly. Whatever she needs to learn, she will learn it from you. You will make her strong and whatever destiny she chooses to follow; I know you will be there to support her like your mother did for you."

Ren stared at her father, her heart swelling with his kind words. She knew he was right, though it was a little disappointing Shen will not have a father in her life, she still had her and her wonderful grandparents. "Thank you, Baba."

"Fu!" Lin called as she walked in, holding a green staff in her hands. "You forgot this, this morning." Fu eyes fell on the staff that his wife held; the staff was made of pure jade with a hidden sword wielded inside. It used to belong to his father then it was passed down to his brother but now, it was his. Even though he did not need it to aid him, Fu never went anywhere without it...though he did today. His age must be getting to him. "Thank you, beloved," He said while getting up and taking the staff.

"Ren, did you get to go to the market today?" Lin asked her daughter who smiled. "Yes, Mama I did."

"You went out alone?!" Fu shouted, instantly worried and Ren rolled her eyes. "Father, I was home before dark, nothing happened."

"Something could have happened," Fu argued. "Ren, I know it has been ten years since the war but just because the Foot is gone, does not mean we are free of enemies. Someone loyal to Keiji or his family could still be out there looking for us."

"Oh Fu," Lin chimed in. "Ren was fine. What is she supposed to do? Hide indoors the rest of her life?"

"Least then she will be safe," Fu muttered and Ren scowled at her father a bit annoyed. "I can take care of myself, father."

"I never said you could not," Fu noted. Lin sighed heartly. "Look at us, it feels like we are back to how things used to be when we were living in China."

"Didn't you grow up here, Mother?" Ren asked with a raised brow.

"I grew up here, yes but Fukuoka was never really my home. No, I did not feel like I had a home until I met your father," Lin said, smiling at her husband who could not help but smile back. "How did you end up in China? I do not believe you ever told me."

Lin gave a hearted smile. "It was a very long time ago. I was a young ribbon dancer in Fukuoka. I performed for many people, at many different kinds of occasions but the dance I did in China, was the one I most treasured. The Ancient one, had just gotten married and he asked for the best dancers to be found for his grand party. I, somehow, was one of the many women that got chosen. It seemed like a great opportunity, one I could not pass up so of course, I said yes. To say I was nervous was an understatement, I had never performed in a room full of great masters and shinobis, but I was also very excited for the new experience. The girls and I danced our hearts out, smiling as everyone cheered and clapped for us but in the middle of our performance, Fu, accidentally stumbled on the floor and bumped into me."

Lin paused to laugh lightly at the memory. "He was a very nervous and awkward man back then." Fu gave her a not too serious scowl at that as Lin continued, "He offered me his hand to help me back on my feet...our eyes locked and I asked him if he would like to dance with me. He nervously said yes and the two of us danced on the floor. I felt as though no one was in the room but us. The whole dance floor was ours to take, and one thing led to another, I ended up being the wife of a noble shinobi warrior."

"Then a year later, our little lotus blossom was born," Fu added, smiling warmly at Ren who smiled back. "Then me!" A sudden voice chirped, making the three jump as they looked to see Shen smiling by the door which they soon returned.

"Yes, three gifts I would never trade," Fu said genuinely as he looked between his wife, daughter, and granddaughter. Shen beamed at him and ran up to hug him, giggling as she did. Ren and Lin soon joined in, making the old man chuckle.

...

That night,

While Ren and Fu were talking downstairs, Lin was helping Shen get into bed. Shen smiled as her grandmother dressed her in a white nightgown before tucking her in.

"Goodnight, Shen," Lin said, smiling before kissing her forehead. She was about to leave but was stopped by Shen. "Nainai, can you tell me the kappa story?"

Lin chuckled while shaking her head, "Shen, I have already told that story many times."

Shen pouted, giving puppy dog eyes. "Pleeease!"

Lin cave. "Oh, alright, but then bed afterwards, alright?"

Shen nodded as she waited to hear her favorite story.

"Long ago, in a faraway village, there was a brave young girl, who went out one day to fetch water but while she was gathering the water, a kappa jumped out of the river! The kappa terrified her, but the young girl always carried cucumbers with her to wore off yokai. The kappa was so thankful, it told her of a great hurricane that would destroy her village. The girl thanked the kappa then ran to her village to warn her people of the hurricane. Thanks to the brave girl and the kappa, the girl's people were saved."

Shen grinned. "Do you think I will meet a kappa one day?"

Lin simply shrugged with a smile. "Who knows? There are many mysteries in this world, Shen but right now, it is time for bed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Shen said as her grandmother left while shutting off the lights. Lin smiled to herself as she went downstairs but looked concern when she heard Fu and Ren bickering. "What on Earth is going on?"

"I forgot to get a few things at the market, and I want to go get it before it closes but Baba is being unreasonable," Ren shortly explained while glaring at her father who glared back. "Going to the market on your own during the day is one thing but it is dark out, giving ninjas plenty of opportunity to attack!"

"Fu Sheng!" Lin scolded. "We have talked about this; you can not keep Ren locked inside. She is a grown woman now and can take care of herself."

"Thank you, Mama," Ren said gratefully with a smile while Fu just scowled like an immature child. "Alright but be careful and hurry back!" Ren nodded and ran off. "Right, I will be back shortly!"

"Be safe, dear!" Lin waved off with a smile then noticed a strange look on Fu's face as he stared out the door his daughter ran off.

...

Later,

"Arigatou gozai masu!" Ren called out with a smile as she left the market just in time before it closed. She sighed in relief. "I can not believe I forgot to get milk. I promised Shen we would bake something tomorrow and there was no way we could do that without milk." She chuckled to herself. "The length parent's go for their children."

As Ren walked down the sidewalk happily, anxious to return back to her beloved daughter, figures were hiding in the shadows, watching her closely. "Is that her?" One of them asked in a whisper as the one next to him pulled out a photo of Ren and her family. "Hai, it's her. Tang Ren also known as Lotus Blossom, the fiercest shinobi in China, daughter of the Lotus clan leader's younger brother, Tang Fu Sheng and his wife Tang Lin. "

His partner grinned cruelly. "Can you imagine the kind of money we can get from the woman? The last survivor of the Lotus clan and she is a beauty too. I believe we can find some good use for her, no?

"That is for him to decide, from what I heard, he already has plans for her and did you not hear what she said? She is not the only survivor; I think she might have a child too and the boss suspects her parents are alive as well."

"So, should we wait and follow her to her home?" His partner suggested but he shook his head. "No. You must remember, we are dealing with shinobis here. Some say that the Lotus clan have unimaginable gifts. Dealing with one will be difficult but if her parents are alive, we will be dealing with more, making it much harder. No, we must take them down one by one, starting with her."

...

Ren continued to walk with a smile on her face, only growing wider when she was nearing home but suddenly, she frowned and quickly halted. She narrowed her eyes. 'Someone is following me.' She then took a shaky breath, "Show yourself!"

Suddenly, two men dropped from out of nowhere and surrounded her. "Who are you?!" Ren demanded but they did not answer, they just drew their guns. "You are coming with us." Ren's eyes widened and she dropped her bag before quickly bolting, ducking and wincing when she heard gunshots being fired at her.

'Who are they?! They do not appear to be Foot!' Ren briefly thought to herself before shaking her head. 'No time to think of that, just keep running!' Ren tried to figure out what to do, it has been so long since she has been in this kind of situation.

She had no weapons, no way to contact her father and the enemy was shooting firearms at her. If she fought, she would risk leading them straight to her family. No, she had to lead them away before she could face them but what will she do after that? She could use her chi but...it has been so long. Can she even pull it off?