A beautiful waterfall surrounded by serene cherry blossoms. The blossoms here mysteriously bloom year round. Normal humans have been known to mysteriously disappear here. Sabi Sasaki of the Ken wa Kami lives here.

As Kobo enters the falls he walks with the cherry blossoms wafting pass his body. He nears the waterfall before setting his sheathed katana down on the ground beside him and he sits on the flower covered land with his legs crossed indian style and his arms folded while they are slipped through his sleeves. He sits there quietly enjoying the soft sounds of the waters current and the powerful relaxing crash of the water when it falls.

....

Sabi Enters:

Sabi appears in a flash, as he immediately finds his favorite tree, and enormous sakura tree hanging by the falls. He sits down quietly in a meditative pose. He readies to close his eyes before he notices the presence of Kobo. Sabi touches his white katana, as a small burst of his musou extends. Suddenly the roar of the falls is completely non existent, as Sabi's voice becomes heard clear as crystal.

"Hello Kobo-san, what brings you to the falls? is everything well at the Temple?"

Kobo opens his eyes moderately and they turn toward the voices direction taking out his arms from in his sleeves and now lays them across his legs while he still sits.

Every now and then I find this a nice place to relax and clear your mind. It's good for thinking about all kinds of things as well. The scent from the cherry blossoms also contribute to make it even more of such an experience. For the Temple everything is fine, less and less reports about peace disruptions are coming in. This age of Japan is probably coming to a time of peace. The Peaceful Seven (Nickname for League Samurai), I think, have made it all possible. If this age has come to know peace then it will be our duty to upraise a new select seven to maintain the peace while we current seven move on to a new country and begin our conquest again.

No your right, that is a possibility which is why we haven't worried about leaving Japan. In order for us to decide to switch countries would be after 20 years of straight peace. If it never happens then we will just simply stay here until it does. And yes, Sekadai is her normal self currently she is reading one of her feminine magazines. She has so many of those things I don't see what's so interesting in magazines, but then again I did mention they were "femine". It's a good thing I don't find interest in them.

"Yes, never shall we understand the faculties of the female mind. An enjoyable day it is...Perfect for haiku...."

Sakura falls down.
The waterfalls cascading.
Cicadas resound.

As Sabi finishes his haiku he closes his eyes and begins to take up the different sounds available, now that the sound of the rushing water has been nullified.

Kobo looks towards the sky still seeing cherry blossoms soar helplessly through the air by the gentle breeze. He begins to think of his earlier training remembering the words "You'll have to become extremely light and allow yourself to be carried by the technique. You can't carry yourself." He kobo stands taking up his sheathed katana holding it mid section with his right hand as he looks forward.

Haiku? Is that one of your skills? I never enjoyed writing..

He begins hopping in place on his feet individually one after the other in such a light manner his body seems to lose its own weight as he slowly comes down to the ground after each hop

"Yes, a wonderful focus for the soul."

Sabi watches Kobo as he begins to hop.

"Hmm a technique from Sekadai, eh? Very useful indeed."

A focus? Interesting that you say that..

Kobo begins to hear the words from Sekadai in his head "Light as a feather", "focused state", "maintain balance", "be in control after being controlled". With that Kobo's body instantly vanishes after landing on his right foot. In his vanish a swirl of cherry blossoms rise as if they were hit by a mini twister as Kobo is then seen on the other side of the rushing water.

I think I did it that time..

Sabi did you see any split images?

"No your movements didn't produce a split image. I believe you accomplished your feat."

Kobo gives a light smile and again takes a seat on the ground Indian style.

Hmph, just as expected I couldn't keep doing the same practice for longer than a month. I have other thigns to work on. Say, Sabi, if there ever came a time when it was time to fight for peace, would you do it?

"Peace? hmm...Bluntly I'd have to say no."

Sabi closes his eyes as if gathering thoughts.

Oh? Do you not want a world where people don't have to live worrying about if war will happen at their homeland, or have to worry about a loved one dying by a foolish ones hand? I'm sure you have a deeper reason for your answer.

"I fight. Simply not for peace. My Nisshoku was not made to fight for peace. Sure eradicating evil is a wonderful sentiment to hold. Justified even. However, where peace exists so there is strife."

Sabi draws Nisshoku Kami. As he does the white blade releases a wonderful note that silences every other sound around it. The light around Sabi and Kobo disappears leaving the both of them sitting in absolute darkness. This phenomenon lasts until Sabi sheathes Kami.

"Kami represents the peace that you want. It's a solitary lonely thing. Isolating a false calm on the world. Stifling everything else."

Sabi draws Nisshoku Oni the blade release a shriek like metal being twisted against metal. The ground around Sabi is sliced apart in several directions. He sheathes it as the shrieking immediately stops, however a small cut appears on Sabi's wrist as blood trickles to the ground.

"Oni represents the chaos of the world. Scarring everything in itz path and seeking blood to quench its evil. This extreme too is solitary. Only this is solitude that lashes out into the world scarring everything until its pain can no longer be forgotten. I say this because it represents what i fight for. Peace? A frivolous thing to fight for in my opinion. Strife can't be forgotten. As strife begets strife, no matter the stifling peace of the world, it can never be ascertained."

Perhaps, maybe it's true that when there is nothing peace some people may face strife of from their past of what it took to get to that peace however, what happens when the new generation comes into this peaceful world. As more generations come more will forget about those harsh past and only remember times of peace and tranquility and with that everyone will be happy.

"Perhaps, but the pangs of the past repeat themselves. We humans are being of habit and as such strife may be not be passed down, but it shall never be forgotten."

Holds up his now slightly bleeding wrist as emphasis.

Hmm, I see the possibility in both of our beliefs however, I can't sit and allow the things that disrupt peace to go because if the day comes where the pain is forgotten then it will be for the greater good. If it doesn't come to that point I still see no harm in it for the world will still be much more peaceful than it once was.

"An understandable view..."


Sabi stands quietly as he turns to leave.

"Well Kobo its been nice chatting with you but I must take my leave."

He takes his hand off Kami as the roaring noise of the waterfall returns. His musou is released as he begins walking off. A whorl of cherry blossoms skew his view momentarily before his body disappears.

Likewise..

Kobo faces the opposite way as Kami exits

I'll head back now I've been out long enough.. Things have been exceedingly quite.. It feels as if people in this world has died off.

Kobo walks off back in the direction of The League of Samurai Temple. However, upon reaching the temple he hears the rumor that Sekadai has been captured.

?!