Crow's POV:
I was walking around the academy because I don't have anything to do. I wanted to go outside because I'm bored. As I went outside, I saw Jo kneeling on Takeda's grave, crying. I can't blame her. We're very bummed out when Takeda died yesterday. Jo was the saddest out of all of us. I wanted to go to her to cheer her up. I went to her and she looked at me with her eyes, still tearing up.
"Hey... C-Crow" she said between tears.
"Still sad about Takeda?" I asked.
She nodded while wiping her tears.
"I... I never felt this miserable before. I... I loved him. You know that, right?" Jo told me.
"Yeah, I feel bad for you" I said.
Then she asked me "Had you ever lost anyone in your life before?".
I then answered "Before Takeda, no I haven't".
She then asked "Didn't you lose your family?".
I answered "I didn't lose them... they kicked me and big bro out of the clan".
"What?" Jo asked in disbelief.
"Yeah... we did something that our parents hated" I told her.
Then Jo asked "Can... you tell me what happened?".
"Okay" I said. "Soo, it went like this..."
(flashback)
Inside the treasury of the Arashi family, 10 year old Akira and 11 year old Fugiro were planning to steal some jewels to get for themselves.
"We should deserve this for all our hard work" Fugiro said as the two pocketed a bunch of jewels.
"C'mon big bro, that's enough" Akira said.
"Gotcha" Fugiro said as he finished pocketing the jewels. Then they heard the treasury doors open and they hid behind a mountain of gold coins.
"Hey, come on out! I know you're here!" a guard called out.
Then the two came out of hiding and pushed the guard into a pile of gold coins.
"Hey!" the guard called as the two were running out of the treasury.
They looked back and laughed at the guard. Then they bumped a guard and they fell down. The guard was looming over them and the two were nervous.
The guard took Fugiro's left hand and Akira's left hand and he brought them to their parents' room. The two were begging the guard not to bring them to their parents but the guard didn't listen. The guard opened the door and brought the two to their parents.
"What happened?" the two's father, Hideo, asked worriedly.
"Why did you bring them to us?" the two's mother, Saeda, added.
"These children of yours have been trespassing in the treasury, stealing jewels" the guard said sternly.
The parents were taken aback as they heard the news.
The guard then said "Good night Mr. and Mrs. Arashi" and left.
The parents were undeniably mad at their children.
"Hand over the jewels" Hideo said motioning the two to give the jewels.
"Why would you do such a thing?" Hideo asked.
Fugiro then answered "It's because you didn't pay us enough for our work!".
"I don't appreciate your tone, Fugiro" Hideo said.
Then Akira said "Mom, dad, we're sorry for stealing. It's just that we didn't get as much as we'd hoped. I hope you can forgive us".
The parents were feeling a bit less upset.
"Well... I appreciate your honesty as always, Akira" Saeda said but Hideo didn't say anything.
"I'm not taking the risk of this again" Hideo said.
The two were nervous because they know that Hideo was wary of things happening again at the second time.
Hideo sighed and said "You need to leave".
"What?!" Fugiro and Saeda asked.
"I think that's too far! We can't just leave them! What about their future?" Saeda asked, panicked.
"Their future has been woven for them judging by their actions earlier" Hideo said.
"Guards!" Hideo called.
Two guards went to the room. "Yes, Mr. Arashi?" the two guards asked.
"Lead these mischievous thieves outside!" Hideo commanded and the guards dragged the children outside.
"What? You can't kick us out! We're your children!" Fugiro yelled at Hideo but he wasn't listening.
Akira looked at her mother with pitiful eyes before she got dragged by a guard. The two were then thrown outside by the guards. They got up and dusted themselves off.
"So, what now big bro?" Akira asked.
"I don't know, sis" Fugiro answered. "We'll have to do whatever it takes to survive I guess".
They started walking away from the Arashi clan's house and agreed to never look back.
(flashback ended)
"After that we just stole things so we can survive for these years" I told her.
Jo was thinking about what I told her.
"I... I never knew you've been through so much" Jo said.
"Yeah, but I learned to forgive and forget" I replied.
"Well, I'll leave you alone" I told her.
"Okay, thanks for keeping me company" Jo said.
"No prob!" I told her and I went back inside. I had nothing to do again.
I realised that I was hungry.
"Maybe I'll make a sandwich" I told myself so I started going to the kitchen.
I was close to the kitchen and I heard something.
"Enoki, we need to talk"
That's Master Oda's voice. I wanted to hear what's going on so I went to the door.
"What do you want to talk about, Oda?" Master Enoki asked.
"Well... it is about the samurai" Master Oda said.
"Okay, what about them?" Master Enoki asked.
"Seeing as Takeda's gone..." Master Oda said.
Then I heard a sigh and Master Oda said "I will be taking them back".
I was surprised to hear that. Both happy and sad.
"I understand your decision" Master Enoki said.
Then suddenly Master Oda called "You can come out, Akira".
I was surprised that Master Oda knew I was here. Well... I guess I should come out.
I slowly let my head out in the doorway and I went to Master Oda.
"How did you know I was there, master?" I asked.
He chuckled and said "How do you think Takeda learned about sharp senses?".
I just giggled with him.
"So, why are you here, Akira?" Master Oda asked me.
"Well, I just wanted to make a sandwich" I replied.
Then Master Enoki said "The bread is over there, Akira" as he pointed to the counter.
"Thank you, Master Enoki" I replied and went to get some stuff for my sandwich.
I got a bread knife, 2 slices of bread, peanut butter and jelly to go on my sandwich. As I was making the sandwich, Master Enoki and Master Oda were talking again.
"I want to get the samurai back from you, Enoki" Master Oda said.
"Perhaps it is for the best, they need a teacher on being a samurai and I am not fit for teaching them" Master Enoki said.
"I'm glad that we have reached an understanding, Enoki" Master Oda said.
"Me too, Oda" Master Enoki said.
"Akira, can you kindly tell the others about this news?" Master Oda asked me.
I then said "Yes, master", finished my sandwich and ran to the others to tell them about what I just heard.
Eagle's POV:
We were in our room very sad because Takeda's gone. I was just on my bed throwing my plastic ball up in the air with my left hand because I was bored. I was throwing the ball with my left hand because my right arm was busted because of Simmons' bullet. It's healing still. Then Crow burst through the door and we were all concerned for her. Then the ball hit my head because I wasn't paying attention to the ball..
"What is it?" Dragon asked.
"Is it another madman?" I asked.
Crow then answered "Umm... it's about us".
We were all confused. "What about us?" Falcon asked.
"Master Oda told me to tell you that... we're going back to him" Crow said.
We were all surprised at the news. "So, we're going back to the old man, huh?" Falcon sarcastically said.
Then Owl hit him on the head with a piece of paper and he said "Don't call him old! Show some respect for once!".
"Alright, sorry" Falcon said.
"When did he say we are leaving?" Dragon asked Crow.
Then Crow scratched her head in realisation and sheepishly said "I... forgot to ask... hehe".
We were all even more sad because we have to leave our friends, the ninjas.
"Maybe it is for the best" Dragon said.
"Takeda is no longer with us. We do not have a teacher to teach us the ways of the samurai. We can only turn to Master Oda now" Dragon added.
"Yeah, and after all, Master Oda's a nice guy" I said and they nodded in agreement.
"So, we're going back?" Crow asked us.
"We have to" Ming Zhu added. "We have no one else".
"Now what?" Bear asked.
"We wait" Dragon answered.
With that, our discussion ended and we got back to our normal things. Crow then came to me and sat next to me on the bed.
"Sooo, how's your arm?" she asked me.
"It's doing okay but Jin said to not move it" I answered.
Then she suddenly put her head on my right shoulder.
"Owowow!" I silently said.
"Oh sorry! I... didn't mean to! I-I was... uh..." Crow told me panicked.
I then said "Calm down. It's alright". "Just don't do it yet, okay?" I asked her.
"Okaay" she said.
We couldn't do anything but wait for the news of Master Oda to us.
Then the ninjas went to our room.
"Is there danger?" Dragon asked. They looked... concerned?
Iro said "We... heard from Master Enoki".
"About us leaving?" Dragon asked.
"Yeah" Iro gloomily answered.
"Did he tell you when?" Dragon asked and Jo answered "Two days".
We were all very bummed out now.
"This is the worst week we ever had" Tetsuo suddenly said.
"Yeah, Takeda's gone, then you guys are leaving. Could this get any worse?" Neeko complained.
Then Dragon, me, Songbird, Bear and Nightingale closed our eyes and braced for something bad to happen. But... there was nothing and looked like complete fools of ourselves.
"Uh... what's wrong?" Jo asked us.
"Ah, it is nothing to worry about" Dragon said.
"Yeah, nothing at all" I added.
"Okay?" she then said confused.
"Sooo, what now?" Songbird asked.
"Do you have any more questions or things to do with us before we depart?" Owl asked.
"Well... we just want to spar with you" Iro said. "One more time" Jo added.
"Well... sure" Dragon said.
"Tomorrow".
"Alright... we'll lave you guys alone for now" Iro said and the ninjas went out of our room.
We went back to what we were doing. I can't believe we were leaving but it's probably for the best.
(timeskip)
Crow's POV:
We can't believe it. Today's the day we leave the academy. We're packing our bags in our room and we're prepping for the long trip back to the Samurai Academy. Master Oda agreed that Ming Zhu and Mika are coming with us.
"Today's the day" I said to myself.
"Here we go again" Eagle said.
"We're going on the long journey back".
Then Dragon asked "Is everyone ready?".
"Yeah" each of us said one by one.
We finished packing and we went out the door. I had my black cloth sling bag with me and the others had backpacks. Owl had two bags on his back because he had his brewing stuff with him. My big bro helped him out so he doesn't break his back. We went to the front gate of the academy and we saw Master Enoki, Master Oda and the ninjas. We went to Master Oda's side.
"So, is this goodbye?" Iro asked me.
I smiled at him and I replied "It's never goodbye, it's see you later".
Then Jo came to Master Oda bringing Takeda's smashed helmet. It was very roughed up and it had dents on the top and some on the side.
"A... remembrance of Takeda, Master Oda" she said as Master Oda got the helmet.
"May the gods guide you through your way home" Master Enoki told us.
"May the gods grant you guidance too, Enoki" Master Oda replied.
We gave our last handshakes with the ninjas and said our goodbyes.
We then went on our way back to the Samurai Academy.
"Master, are we going through 2 weeks to get back" Dragon asked.
He laughed and said "Heavens no! The distance is just 6 hours from here".
We were all shocked and we stopped.
"Master, Takeda led us 2 weeks to get to the academy. And you are telling us that it really took 6 hours?!" Dragon said getting angry.
"I apologise, but I needed to test your full capability, mainly your union" Master Oda said and he started to explain.
"I sent you on the long path to the academy to test your union and understanding with each other and yourselves. And... you have achieved that, not only because of Takeda's leadership, but because of your capability to find strength in weakness. You helped each other when times are tough and your bonds have been strengthened. Even without Takeda, you had been strong and your union never dissolved".
We were all dumbfounded and maybe he's right. We have been together for a while and none of us left the group.
"Now come along, let us get back before nightfall" Master Oda told us.
"Yes, master" we all answered and we went all the way back to the Samurai Academy.
(timeskip)
Mika's POV:
We got to the Samurai Academy and the samurai were amazed that they got to see it again. It was large, red and decorated with golden dragons. It also had the Oda clan's symbol on the gates. We went inside and we were in a big dojo. There was a staircase on the far side of the dojo, parallel to the gates. There were wooden windows and doors on the sides of the dojo. It leads outside to a garden. Maybe for meditation... I guess.
The samurai then excitedly went up the staircase and Master Oda, Ming Zhu, and me followed behind them. I think that's the way to their rooms. We got to a hallway and the samurai went into individual rooms except Fugiro and Akira. They get the same room because they're siblings. I looked into Akira's and Fugiro's room. It had a wooden door and wooden windows. It had a wooden floor, wardrobe and a bathroom. I assumed that each of the rooms had their own bathroom.
I saw Akira jumping on a bed. I assumed it's hers.
"Sis, please stop jumping on your bed. You're gonna break it" Fugiro told Akira.
She hopped off her bed and she replied "Sorry, I just missed my old bed!".
"Me too" Fugiro said.
Then Fugiro looked at me and he came to me.
"Hey Mika, do you need something?" he asked me.
"Um... no. Nothing" I answered.
Then he looked at my face and he said "Well, looks like your scratch healed, huh?".
He... noticed.
"Yes... um, thank you for your concern" I sheepishly said.
"Okay, I'm glad your okay" he told me.
There was silence for a few moments. I was caught off guard with what he said. Then Master Oda called me.
"Oh, Master Oda needs me" I told him.
"Okay then, well... goodnight" he told me.
"G-Goodnight" I softly said as he turned around.
Akira looked at me, smiled and gave me a thumbs-up. I went to Master Oda to see what he needed me for.
"Mika, you can have Takeda's room" he told me.
I was stunned and I told him "Master Oda, I-I c-couldn't accept the fact that I took Takeda's room".
"But you must, after all you were the one who accompanied Takeda here 4 years ago. There are no other rooms available at this time" Master Oda told me.
Yes, that is true.
"Well, if you put it that way... I'm honoured, master" I told him.
"I'm glad, Mika" he said as he opened the door for me and I went inside.
"Good night, Master Oda" I told him.
"Good night, Mika" he told me and he closed the door.
I looked around 'my room' and it was similar to the other rooms. I was tired so I crashed on my bed and looked at the ceiling. Then I rummaged through my bag and I pulled out a pendant. It was silver and it had a sapphire gem encased in silver. It belonged to my mother and I've kept it since the day my family was killed.
"Don't worry father, mother, brother... I'll avenge you three. Your death will not go in vain. I love you" I said to the pendant. I will find the one responsible for my family's death. I will have my revenge...
The End