Episode II

Unknown farming village.

Sometime after her escape from the capital Ashi had cremated Jack's corpse and came to a small village near the city. The villagers were already aware of what happened as officials of the newly made Shogunate came earlier. The villagers were told that Ashi is an enemy of the new regime, but the villagers did not care as they saw Takeshi as a pretender to the throne and that the Imperial family were the rightful rulers. They supplied Ashi with money, food, water, whatever weapons the local blacksmith could spare, and armor made to look like the one Ashi's grandfather wore into battle. Ashi then enters the mayor's home to speak with him. Ashi had a red suit of armor with a golden colored crescent on the front of the helmet just above her face. Underneath the armor she had long dark blue hakama (pants worn underneath samurai armor), a dark blue shitagi (a shirt worn underneath the armor), black yugake (Gloves), and brown kutsus (riding boots).

(AN: Please look up Japanese armor to learn more.)

"I have everything I need for my journey," said Ashi.

The mayor says, "Are you sure? Is there anything else you need for your journey to Edo?"

"No you and your village have so much already for me. My journey shouldn't be taht hard," said Ashi.

The door is then opened as one of the villagers enters the home. He is sweeting and he has a look of panic on his face.

"Sir we have dire news," exclaimed the villager.

Ashi and the mayor follow the villager outside to group of people who are standing next to a wounded man. The man has his bandages on his right arm and head, fright was on his face and he was breathing heavily.

"What happened," asked the mayor.

"I was out hunting and an official came with two guards and they told me we are to give three-fourths of our crops to the capital to feed Shogun Takeshi's army," said the man.

"That's madness," said a villager.

"We would barely have enough to feed ourselves," exclaimed another.

"I told the official that we can't do that and he told me that ten of the Shogun's new soldiers would come here by sunset to make sure we comply," said the man "Then the guards approached me and I saw that they weren't human they were Oni."

The crowd gasps a what the man said. Oni are red and blue skinned demons who seek to destroy anything in their path.

"The Oni said that the new soldiers are the same species as them. The two then harmed me to make us comply with the decree," said the man.

The villagers then talk amongst themselves. Sunset will arrive within the next twenty minutes they don't have enough time to gather all of their stuff and escape. The villagers are farmers, they don't know how to fight, and if they try they'll easily be slaughtered.

Ashi then speaks up, "I'll fight off the Oni."

The villagers turn to her direction and gasp. They didn't want her to fight for them as it could mean certain death.

The mayor walks up and he says, "Princess you can't this isn't your burden"

"I've already decided to do this I won't change my mind," said Ashi.

She sees a look of worry fall onto the villagers faces. She then says, "The decisions we make are a reflection of who we are. We cannot hide from ourselves."

The villagers then calm down as they now understand her reason. She doesn't want the innocent to suffer, not from a demon or even from Shogun Takeshi.

Twenty minutes pass and Ashi is standing in front of the village entrance waiting for the Oni to come. She then sees ten figures wearing armor but without the helmet. She could see that they each possessed a set of two horns, sharp claws, and each one was armed with a studded iron kanabo (A war club). They stopped five feet away from Ashi, they were 6 ft tall and had jagged teeth that were sticking out of their mouths. They growled at Ashi when they saw that she was wearing an Oni mask, they find it insulting when humans try to mimic them.

"Leave this village and never return," demanded Ashi.

One Oni plants a banner that displays a black dragon head and says, "This village is under the jurisdiction of Shogun Takeshi. Refusing his decree is punishable by death."

"Why are you serving him!? Demons never work with humans, not without betraying them at least," said Ashi.

"You know nothing of the Shogun do you. Demons like us worked with Takeshi for years," said another Oni.

"Enough talk! Let's kill that onna-bugeisha," exclaimed another.

Two of them charge at Ashi she then jumps over them when they got close and when she got behind them in the air...

SLASH.

Ashi lands behind the two Oni who have stopped in their tracks. Ashi's sword has black blood dripping from it. The heads of the two Oni fall forward while their bodies each fall to a different side. Three more Oni surround her and each of them try to hit her. Ashi blocks each of their attacks, disarms one of them, and stabs the disarmed Oni in the chest killing him. She then pulls out two kunai knifes ant throws them at the other two Oni. Each knife hit them in the head killing them. The other five Onithen slowly approach Ashi with a shield drawn. The shields were rectangular shaped and covered their whole bodies. Ashi then charged at them and swung her sword. Their shields have been cut in half making them useless in the fight. The Oni each had a look of shock and Ashi used this distraction to kill two of them. The remaining three regain their senses and then go on the offensive, they each try to land a hit on Ashi but she avoids their attacks and picks up one of the kanabos and hits an Oni in the leg with it. The bones in his leg are broken and renders him unable to continue the fight. One of the other two Oni picks up a kanabo as well allowing him to duel wield. He charges at Ashi and knocks the kanabo she took out of her left hand and tries to land another hit. But Ashi slides under him and stabs him through the back. She then hears cracking sound sees that the last Oni killed the crippled Oni.

He drops his kanabo and pulls out a katana. He then turns to Ashi and says, "Let's end this."

"I couldn't agree more," said Ashi.

They both stare at each other ready to fight. Black blood is still on the Sacred blade, a drop of it falls and once it hits the ground the two warriors charge at each other and then...

SLASH.

Both combatants have passed each other their backs were facing each other. Then a gush of blood comes out of the Oni's chest like a fire hydrant, once it stops his lifeless body falls forward. Ashi sheathes her sword and the villagers come to congratulate for saving them.

The next day.

The villagers have gathered all of their belongings and have to leave. They know they can't stay anymore as Takeshi would send more troops to claim the village. Ashi looks at the villagers leave from her horse without her Oni mask on. She hopes that they'll find a new home that will keep them safe. She then puts her mask back on and continues on her path to Edo.