Story Adapted by & Screenplay by : Jameal Jordon & Sharome Jordon

FLASH BACK TO SEVEN YEARS AGO

GOHDA CASTLE – NIGHT

The castle is burning. Fire & battles have greatly damaged the castle. A 14 year old Ayame looks to a mortally wounded Kei Gohda.

CUT TO

The younger Ayame kicks open a door of a small hut. She finds 6 year old Kiku, lying inside & crying.

YOUNG KIKU

(cries) : Momma?

YOUNGER AYAME : I’m not your momma. Please stop crying.

YOUNG KIKU : Momma, momma!!

YOUNGER AYAME : Oh, ok. (gives her the bells)

YOUNG KIKU : What’s your name?

YOUNGER AYAME : Ayame.

YOUNG KIKU : Then this is for you. (gives her a single bell) My sister’s bells!

YOUNGER AYAME : What are sister’s bells?

YOUNG KIKU : Momma said the bells would help us become sisters! Now I have a sister!!!

FLASH FORWARD TO THE PRESENT

INT. PRINCESS KIKU’S ROOM – DAY

Ayame looks to the bell once more & a single tear falls from her right eye.

INT. GOHDA CASTLE LAUNDRY -DAY

Setsuro puts on a samurai garb he finds in the laundry. He puts his kurikama behind him, into a holster. With his new sword by his side & his wakazishi on his arm he exits the laundry area to enter the party.

EXT. GOHDA CASTLE GROUNDS – DAY

The party is beginning to wind up. Many people eating ,conversing & mingling. Lord Gohda is nursing a drink while mingling amongst the guests. Sekiya is by his side. They notice the blonde haired woman walking by them.

SEKIYA :

Ahh. Lord Gohda, look. A golden haired woman. Very rare, I remember once it was only myth & legend. (begins to stroke his chin) Hmm, very rare indeed. ( he sees the blonde woman now on the arm of a strange looking daisho. The pair is none other than Ai & Onikage in royals clothing)

LORD GOHDA

(laughs) : Sekiya. You are always so suspicious about everything. After our victory (drinks) over the pirates. And Kiku, my Kiku, becoming a woman. This is day is indeed for celebration.

SEKIYA (inner thought to himself) : Who is that daisho? I’ve never seen him around these parts. Very interesting, a bit too interesting. (looks to another noble in the House of Gohda & pulls him to the side.) Who is that daisho???

FIRST NOBLE

(shrugs his shoulders & pulls to the side another noble in the House of Gohda aside) : Who is that daisho???

SECOND NOBLE : Hmm (stroking his chin) Daisho?? His name???

FIRST NOBLE (shaking the second noble) : YES!!! HIS NAME!!!

SECOND NOBLE : His name? Ah yes. Shitzu, Suzuki, Suzaku!!! Yes!! Suzaku!

SEKIYA : I’ve never heard of him before.

SECOND NOBLE : Ah I remember, he is from a western province. He has traveled far & wide to this party.

SEKIYA (inner thought) : We did not send any invitations there. I will keep a distant watch on him.

Meanwhile. Setsuro is mingling in the party. He’s drinking drinks & eating the food provided. Princess Kiku soon exits the castle. Sekiya nodding to Lord Gohda to take notice of his daughter entering the party.

LORD GOHDA : LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN!!!!!

Music plays. Soon people are dancing, outdoor Kabuki theatre, many party related things are happening. Kiku dances with her father. They dance happily, while Ai prepares herself. Setsuro still mingling notices Ai he stops dead in his tracks.

SETSURO (eyes grow wide with disbelief) : Ai. (runs towards her but is blocked by a crowd)

A large & heavy crowd is blocking a direct path to her. Ai pulls a shuriken out, & douses it with a fluid she has in a large ring on her hand. She smiles as she aims it. Setsuro pushes & shoves other around as he tries to reach her. He pulls out his kurikama, & tries to hit her with the chain weight but misses by only a few inches. Ai throws the shuriken into the upper shoulder blade of Kiku, the shuriken becomes deeply embedded into her, the dress takes most of the blow, but a single spike in the shuriken stabs her mid-way length into her flesh. As it hits, her bright smile turns to a worried & shocked look. She falls forward into her father’s arms. The poison causes instant blindness nearly immediately. The crowd roars in fear & horror. Onikage & Ai literally throw off their royal clothing. They had their normal clothing underneath. They look on as Kiku lays in her father’s arms. They laugh & leap up high into the trees above. Rikimaru & Ayame see the confusion from the rooftops, & they run after Onikage & Ai. But the dangerous duo has already disappeared into the shadows. Sekiya looks to Setsuro with an angry grimace. Ayame looks on in sheer horror. Rikimaru holds his silent dead-pan look.

SEKIYA (to Setsuro & point towards him) : You!!! You were supposed to be guarding the castle!!!!

SETSURO : As if I could guard the castle from the roof. Besides by the time I did notice her the crowd blocked my advance towards her.

SEKIYA : A pitiful excuse for even for you, ashigaru!!

KIKU (mumbles incoherently)

SETSURO : What about you old man? I didn’t see you react at all!!!

LORD GOHDA : SILENCE!!!!!!

KIKU : Father I cannot see. Help me.

LORD GOHDA (almost tearing) : Help me get my daughter inside!!!

Setsuro picks up Kiku & quickly takes her into the castle. Lord Gohda, Rikimaru, Sekiya, Ayame & other nobles follow behind him.

INT. PRINCESS KIKU’S ROOM – DAY

Kiku has been bandaged & lies in her bed. She is sleeping. Lord Gohda looks to her & strokes her face & hair. He soon leaves the room. Outside in the hall, Sekiya, Setsuro, Rikimaru & Ayame are amongst the nobles & the guards near the throne area. Setsuro is now in his traditional armor.

SEKIYA (to Lord Gohda as he enters) : My lord how is the princess?

LORD GOHDA : She has been poisoned.

SETSURO : Lord Gohda, I will find the cure to the poison.

LORD GOHDA : Do you believe you can find the cure?? Where would you start?

SETSURO : Give me a chance my lord. I will find it. I will not fail. I swear this to you.

LORD GOHDA : How can you be so sure????!

SETSURO (turning away from Lord Gohda) : My father was poisoned the same way

LORD GOHDA : Then go. Take a horse & find the cure!!!!

SETSURO : Yes my lord. I will not fail. (exits)

RIKIMARU : My lord. It was Onikage. Suzaku Onikage, the red sparrow of the Burning Dawn.

LORD GOHDA : Leave me now.(walks toward Sekiya) My sins, have caught up with me once more, old friend. From the grave, Lady Kagami has struck against me once more. This time she may have hit me where it hurts the most. I would give myself to the devil if it meant Kiku would live to be a strong, happy woman.

SEKIYA : My lord, fate rides in the hand of that ashigaru. I hope you have chosen well.

LORD GOHDA : We shall see.

Rikimaru & Ayame as well as the other nobles leave the throne room. Ayame quickly runs out to exit the castle after Setsuro. She runs at top speed looking for him. She sees him near a large tree talking to the same blonde haired woman who poisoned Kiku, she gets in closer to watch. The woman is perched on a branch above Setsuro.

AI : Well. It seems after all this time, little brother you made something of yourself. But even I know it is something you are not.

SETSURO : I use my skills anyway I choose. I am my own master.

AI : Still diluting yourself, are you? Come now I know you better than that.

SETSURO : Just like mother. Pretty to the eyes, but evil to the core.

AI : It is good to know that some things don’t change, like you Setsuro. Did you like the way we did it? The poison is rare. The cure is even more rare than the poison. Mother has taught me well, she used it on father. Then again, you’re just a farmer. It will take you ages to find it & by then Gohda will have fallen. (laughs & leaps away)

Setsuro leaps off the horse & unsheathes his sword to cut the branch off. But by then Ai has already disappeared.

SETSURO (sheathing his sword) : Bitch.

Ayame who was watching from a distance who could not hear the full conversation, dashes towards Setsuro. As she gets closer she unsheathes her kuni. She leaps onto the horse holding her kuni against his shoulders. Setsuro counters this action by pushing his weight backwards. Pushing him & Ayame to the ground. He then uses his shoulders to smash into her arms, Ayame loses her grip on her kuni. Then Setsuro uses his head to bash into her face, Ayame is stunned. Setsuro then takes this time sit up & roll backwards & flip up. Ayame picks up her kuni & gets up. She leaps at Setsuro who pulls out his sword. They both strike their blades clash.A power struggle begins but Setsuro uses his weight to counter & Ayame flies upward & flips, then hits the ground. Setsuro sheathes his sword.

AYAME (yells) : TRAITOR!!!

SETSURO : If I am a traitor Why am I venturing out to get the cure for Kiku? Do you know of poisons? Do you know where it grows?? How dangerous it is to get it?

Ayame stares at Setsuro blankly, sheathing her kuni.

SETSURO : I didn’t think so. Let me tell you then. The only cure for the poison grows in a remote area that is known to have people that just wish to be forgotten. Ronin, failed ninja, & other questionable people. The cure grows at the highest point of a mountain summit. Probably half a day’s ride from here. Then it’s a steep climb up the base of the mountain to the summit. It’s a No man’s land. But if you wish to kill the only chance that Kiku has of living, then kill me now if not GET OUT OF MY WAY!

Setsuro gets onto his horse & rides off into the night.

EXT. FOREST/ MOUNTAIN BASE – NIGHT

After hours of riding Setsuro has finally reached the mountain summit where the cure grows. Setsuro dismounts from the horse. He looks around into the forest. He sees the cave entrance. Setsuro walks forward, but then turns around.

SETSURO (looks to a high treetop) : You can come out. I know you’ve been following me for hours now.

Rikimaru leaps down from the treetops.

RIKIMARU : So Ayame was right, you are much more than you lead on to be. I am impressed?

SETSURO : Whatever. I’m going inside to get the cure.

RIKIMARU : Ayame has asked me to come with you.

Setsuro leading onward enters the dark cave, after a short while they enter the secluded mountain summit.

EXT. MOUNTAIN SUMMIT – NIGHT

[*Level 8 music played here*] Setsuro & Rikimaru look on as they exit the cave. It is a seemingly lush paradise. Waterfalls & cliffs can been amongst the gorgeous colors of the fall trees. Off in the distance tall, tall trees can be seen extending upward from the falls. A narrow ledge extends as a bridge. Rikimaru & Setsuro slowly move forward only to find forest warriors, dogs. Many are armed with sais & are archers weilding arrows & bows.
Rikimaru & Setsuro move up the steep hill, a drop off is to the right that leads to great fall & impending doom. Rikimaru & Setsuro spy a forest warrior. He is pacing back & forth yawning as he paces. He is near the cliff & his sais are sheathed.

SETSURO (to Rikimaru) : Do you mind?

RIKIMARU : Be my guest.

Setsuro moves closer to the guard. He picks up a rock & throws it at a tree, near the edge of the drop off. The guard is startled & looks around in panic. He dashes over to the tree, he sees nothing. He begins to rub his head.

SAI WARRIOR (still yawning & talking to himself) : What was that???

SETSURO (coming from behind) : Nothing.

Setsuro punches him hard, knocking him off into the distance. The guard falls far & far out of sight. He didn’t even have a chance to scream.

EXT. MOUNTAIN FALLS – NIGHT

Rikimaru & Setsuro move forward swiftly & quietly. They get deeper into the secluded mountain summit. They encounter more warriors as they cross the bridge. Rikimaru dispatches of 2 located at the base of the falls. Setsuro deals with an archer near the bridge. The duo begin to move higher, towards the zenith of the summit.

EXT. MOUNTAIN SUMMIT CAVE -NIGHT

They move into a cave that winds to the top, 2 guards are sleeping here. Rikimaru uses some sleeping potion so they remain that way. Setsuro reaches the top of the summit, seeing the lone flower that grows at the top. He pulls the flower & roots from the mountain. Rikimaru looks on.

SETSURO (looks to the sky) : I was not able to save you father, but with the same cure I will save a life.

Setsuro walks over & give the herb to Rikimaru.

SETSURO : Hold this for safe keeping. (enters the mountain summit cave again leading down)

RIKIMARU : Hmm (stuffing it into a pouch) So this is the herb. Princess I am on my way.

EXT. MOUNTAIN BASE – NIGHT

With quickness Rikimaru & Setsuro exit the mountain summit. They both ride on Setsuro’s horse back to Gohda castle. They ride on til morning finally reaching Gohda’s territory.

EXT. GOHDA CASTLE – DAY

It is almost noon as they finally see the castle riding at top speed. They finally reach the castle. The horse falls to the ground tired & worn. Rikimaru leaps from the horse. Setsuro pulls himself from under the horse. They race inside the castle. Setsuro takes the cure from Rikimaru.

INT. GOHDA CASTLE – DAY

Setsuro runs for the kitchen throwing off his armor. Rikimaru heads for the throne room. A worried Lord Gohda & his nobles stand by in silence.

RIKIMARU : My lord!! We have returned with the cure!!

LORD GOHDA (his eyes seem to widen with hope) : Where is Setsuro, I thought he was going to bring it?

RIKIMARU : He is in the kitchen preparing it as we speak, Lord Gohda.

Lord Gohda runs into his daughter’s room. Ayame & the Boy are there at Kiku’s side. Ayame is stroking her hair, while the boy paces the floor back & forth. Ayame ad libs words of comfort & hope.

LORD GOHDA (runs to Kiku) : Kiku We have the cure, hold on

KIKU (mumbles) : I am trying father please hurry

INT. GOHDA CASTLE/ KITCHEN – DAY

Setsuro prepares the cure, boiling the flower & root preparing it as a broth. The kitchen cooks, & maids stand in awe as Setsuro moves with speed & a purpose. He carefully extracts the needed elements from the flower into a warm colored broth. He then grinds the pedals into a flour. Making a powdered cure just in case anyone else becomes afflicted with the same poison again. The roots, stems & parts of the pedals have been dissolved into the cure. He pours it into a tea pitcher. And slowly exits the kitchen with the cure. He walks down the hall towards the throne room & then to Kiku’s room.

INT. PRINCESS KIKU’S ROOM – DAY

Setsuro hurries as quick as he can to give Kiku the cure. As everyone awaits silently he pours a glass & gives it to Ayame.

SETSURO (to Ayame) : Give her this to drink. Make sure she drinks it all. She will be fine.

Ayame nods to Setsuro. Setsuro walks over to Lord Gohda. They both leave the princess’s room.

SETSURO (walking with Lord Gohda towards the throne room) : My lord, she will be fine. The poison acts quickly but we were in time to get her the cure. She should recover in a few hours. She is lucky, my lord. Fate has smiled upon her. I knew someone who didn’t get the cure in time & the poison robbed them of life.

LORD GOHDA : Setsuro. I I thank you. You have saved the most precious thing I have. My daughter. How can I reward you???

SETSURO : I do not know my lord.

LORD GOHDA : I will find a way, ashigaru.

Lord Gohda parts company from Setsuro to meet with his nobles to determine the reward for Setsuro. Setsuro sees Rikimaru & Ayame. He wanders over to them. They walk outside to a parapet that looks to the other castle off in the distance.

RIKIMARU : I am glad that we were able to save the princess.

AYAME : We could have done better. We could have punished the woman that did it. (grabs Setsuro) Why did you let her go? Why didn’t you kill her?

SETSURO (throwing off her hands & gets some distance away from Ayame) : I don’t answer to you.

RIKIMARU : Why did you let that ninja get away? I’ve seen your skill you could have killed her if you wanted to.

SETSURO : I will not kill my only sister. I may hate her, but killing her is a rather large step over hate.

AYAME : What? Sister???

RIKIMARU : Hmm

SETSURO : No matter how you feel, I will not bring harm to her. I know deep inside her it is not her fault. It was my mother, she was a ninja & she corrupted my dear sister, turning her into what she is today. For that I can never hurt her, only pity her.

Suddenly an explosion rocks the other castle off in the distance. The other castle is under attack. The trio watch in horror as the action folds before them. They run back into the castle throne room.

LORD GOHDA : What is going on???

RIKIMARU (to Lord Gohda) : My lord! Your other castle is under attack!

SEKIYA : Rikimaru, Ayame!! I purge you to find out what is happening!!

RIKIMARU : I am at your service.

AYAME : Alright.

SETSURO : What about me?

LORD GOHDA : Setsuro Shurikono, you will enter my house & be promoted to the rank of General of my forces.

SEKIYA : This is definently an omen Rikimaru, Ayame get going!!!

Rikimaru & Ayame exit the throne room, & then the castle.

SETSURO : Thank you, my lord!!!

LORD GOHDA : No longer an ashigaru, you will become a honorable samurai. The ceremony will commence now.

EXT. GOHDA CASTLE – NIGHT

Rikimaru & Ayame take off on foot towards Gohda’s second castle. On foot it’s probably an hour away on foot but Rikimaru & Ayame manage to make it in under 30 minutes. They stumble onto an older dying guard who escaped. He has slash marks to his back & sides.

EXT. GOHDA FOREST – NIGHT

DYING GUARD : You your Lord Gohda’s ninja. (falls to the ground)

AYAME : Who did this?

DYING GUARD : A man calling himself the Red Sparrow.

RIKIMARU : Onikage.

AYAME : Suzaku.

DYING GUARD : His forces They are much stronger than normal men. Lord Gohda’s family at the castle They’re all dead. These men They had no heart. They slew children, women. They were nothing more than common thugs. They had no honor. He’s in the tower. (points to the tower & then falling over dying)

Rikimaru & Ayame run further. They finally reach the compound of the second castle.

EXT. GOHDA SECOND CASTLE – NIGHT

There are no guards posted. The gate is open & the bridge leading over to the tower is unguarded. The air about is silent & cold. No sound can be heard [*level 9 music plays*]
Rikimaru & Ayame unsheath weapons & look on to find shadowy figures overheard are patrolling the higher regions. As you look up you see the largest part of the compound, a tower that ascends high into the sky. Rikimaru & Ayame cross the bridge, as they exit they see a ninja, one of Onikage’s men turned around. He is holding a horse-sword & he is using it for support, as he is drowsy. Ayame looks to Rikimaru.

AYAME

Ugh Nothing worse than a sleeping ninja.

Rikimaru simply remains silent & they proceed over to the sleeping ninja. Ayame while holding her kuni punches the ninja. This attack wakes him suddenly. Ayame slashes him, he tries to run to another slide even though he is hurt, but Rikimaru slashes him & the ninja spins around only to get slashed over & over again by Rikimaru & Ayame. The final blow is a simultaneous slash that makes the ninja crumple to the ground in death.

Ayame looks up, it is a long climb upward. Rikimaru looks downward. Towards the river, that is nearby. They look to each other. Ayame point her finger upward, & Rikimaru points his finger downward, they nod. Meanwhile.

INT. GOHDA MAIN CASTLE/ THRONE ROOM – NIGHT

Setsuro’s promotion ceremony begins. The House of Gohda nobles are gathered around near Lord Gohda & his trusted advisor/ patriarch Sekiya. Kiku sits beside her father, smiling. The boy sits beside Sekiya.

LORD GOHDA : Shurikono Setsuro. You have proven yourself valiantly to serve & protect the lives of this house. Therefore it is my pleasure to promote you to the rank of General of my forces. I welcome you as a samurai warrior into my home.

SEKIYA (mumbling to himself & drinking) : The shit has really hit the fan.

LORD GOHDA : Sekiya? What did you say?

BOY : Lord Gohda, I think grandfather said the

SEKIYA : Silence, Boy! I know what I said. My lord I said to myself, I Think he has become a man.

Setsuro is kneeling before Lord Gohda. He flashes a cheese grin at Sekiya. Suddenly a great explosion rocks the castle. A wall is blown away & guards near the wall are blown away. The nobles protect themselves by hiding under or behind tables. Lord Gohda, Sekiya, Kiku & the Boy push over a table & hide behind it. As the smoke clears a towering figure enters the room. He seems to be floating, as only his robes touch the floor. He carries a strange looking longsword. That has 2 sets of 3 teeth on each side. His eyes glow white, then green. His free hand clutched, glows with a strange green tint. His sword lights up, seemingly fused by white lightning energy. From behind him, comes a familiar face, Ai. She stands beside her master, Lord Me-Oh smiling a wicked smile. She pulls from behind her weapons of choice, steel fans. She clutches them as she enters the throne room.

LORD ME-OH : So This is the House of Gohda. I am impressed. Gohda? Have I come at a bad time?

A lone guard gets up & runs toward Lord Me-Oh. As he gets closer, Ai throws a single steel fan into his face with great force & power.

AI (yells as she throws the fan) : KAI-CHO-SEN!

The fan hits the guard point blank into his grimace. The fan spins in mid-air. He falls backward & to the ground. The guard is out. Ai grabs the spinning fan & then extends it while smiling. She looks to the nobles. Suddenly other guards enter the room. Ai runs over to meet them. They charge towards her, as she winks & uses her finger to encourage them to come over her way. Ai fights fiercely, quickly using her speed to over power the heavy guards. [*fight sequence*]

LORD ME-OH : Pressing matters kept me away from coming to your daughter’s party, Gohda (looks to Kiku hiding) Princess I wish to look upon. Come child, I only wish to get a closer look at you.

SEKIYA (brashly) : Come, demon! And you can get a closer look at my blade from the proper end.

LORD ME-OH : Old fool I will dispatch of you & your mouth soon enough.

SEKIYA (holding his sword) : Why don’t you come closer & show me how? Or are you like most demons? More show than strength!

LORD GOHDA : Come if you must, but you will feel my wrath if you think you will touch my daughter.

Lord Me-Oh gets closer towards them but stops & floats. While Ai, deals with the guards at hand.

AI (holding both fans) : Well boys. I’m tiring of this game, aren’t you? Let me show you something I learned along not to long ago.

Ai attacks the guards striking the most sensitive spots, with her fans. She slashes all of them, large gashes appear on their armor. With lightning fierce blows, its almost as if she hit them all at once or did she? Never the less the blood begins to flow from the strikes dealt. The guards in pain drop their weapons. They try to keep standing but the pain is too great. She turns her back to the men, holding both fans. She poses for her master.

AI (posing with fans) : Shinobi Hundred Gale Slash.

At once & simultaneously.all of the guards fall down. They die in pain & from the blood loss. Ai walks over towards her master.

All this time Setsuro has been hiding. He has been waiting behind a curtain in the throne room. He waits for Lord Me-Oh’s back to be turned so he can get a clean strike.
Lord Me-Oh & Ai proceed together towards Lord Gohda & his company. Setsuro quietly steps from out behind the curtain. He looks to Ai & Me-Oh. He begins to spin his kurikama chain weight & strikes Ai cleanly in the back of the head. Ai crumples to the ground in an instant. Lord Me-Oh stops & turns around.

LORD ME-OH : Ah the young ashigaru. Ai spoke to me about you. But it seems you are on the wrong side. Join us & I will spare your life. (holds up his sword & charges his lightning. Then holds out his free hand & charges his green energy)

Suddenly more guards rush in, even more armed. Me-Oh blasts them with his green energy attack. The attack is like acid & burns thru armor. All of the guards are hit & they die from the burns & the power. Setsuro takes this time to leap onto a table.

SETSURO (spinning his chain weight) : I would rather die, sorcerer!!! (throws his chain weight at Me-Oh)

Me-Oh blocks with his sword, the chain grapples the blade, wrapping around it. They begin pulling against each other. While Lord Gohda, the other nobles & Sekiya are now properly armed. They extend their swords begin to charge towards Me-Oh. Kiku hides in a corner.

LORD GOHDA : Demon! We will not bow to your power!!!

NOBLES : Attack!!!

Me-Oh takes this time to charge up his lightning attack & shocks everyone in the room. Setsuro takes the blunt of it. Sekiya & the other nobles are floored. Now only Lord Gohda stands against him. Setsuro & the nobles lie on the floor, some are dead from being shocked.

LORD GOHDA (clutching his chest) : I will not be defeated by such sorcery. It will take more power than all the demons in hell can generate…to defeat me.

Lord Me-Oh & Lord Gohda begin a vigorous martial art & sword fight. [*fight sequence*] Lord Me-Oh is almost overpowered by Lord Gohda’s sword skill & martial arts. After trading numerous blows, they happen to knock each other’s swords away & begin a fist & foot fight. Me-Oh cheats to win as he uses his lightning power to create a lightning bolt to hit Gohda. Kiku looks to her downed father.

LORD ME-OH (snaps his fingers, after doing so his sword floats back to him) : Contrary to what you may believe, Gohda. I have already won. You have already lost. Everything you do now is trifle & frivolous.

Ai awakens from her blow. She sees Kiku hiding away. Ai gets up to & dashes over to get Kiku from her hiding place.

AI (grabbing Kiku) : Precious.

Kiku steps on Ai’s foot. Then uses her head to bash Ai in the face. Ai loses her grip on Kiku. [*fight sequence*]

KIKU (faces off with Ai, begins to walk around in a circle) : I know what you were thinking, that I was like all those other princess’s. But I can fight!

Ai & Kiku begin a kicking contest. Ai is even impressed by Kiku’s skill in hand-to-hand combat. Blocks, kicks, & punches are used. Sometime during the fight Kiku manages to pull on Ai’s hair.

KIKU : This is for my father! (while pulling on Ai’s hair) I wonder if it’s real? Haha, you know you’re not fooling anybody with those golden strands! (uses a hair-pull kick attack)

Ai is more skilled but it seems Kiku is a lot quicker than Ai. But in the end, it is Lord Me-Oh who comes from behind Ai & uses a small amount of lightning power to shock Kiku to unconciousness.

AI (wiping blood from her mouth) : That little wench!

LORD ME-OH : Calm down Ai. You let her get the best of you because you were overconfident. (floats over to pick up Kiku)

AI : Yes Lord Me-Oh.

LORD ME-OH : Come. (exits out of the way he came in)

AI (follows Me-Oh but as she walks out she kicks Setsuro in the ribs once as she is leaving. She smiles once more & leaves a note in the wall attached to a shuriken as she exits)
Me-Oh & Ai leave with an unconscious Kiku. Meanwhile at the second castle.