The big out back land. There's trees. There's gaping areas of open land. There's loads. It's good to train. It's also where enemies might try to sneak up...

::Leaves suddenly burst from a tree and flutter to the ground as Julie's nimble feet land on a high branch, the warrior landing clumsily. The branch dips, but before she falls, Julie leaps again and her hands catch a branch on the next tree which she uses to swing herself into the air and onto the next. The branches this time are thick enough for her to balance on them and it takes under a second to find her footing before she spins around, saber drawn.::

::Not far behind Julie, a male warrior is in hot pursuit. His movement through the trees is clumsier than hers and it is obvious where he is coming from. Suddenly he bursts through some foliage, sword above his head, and cries loudly as he flies towards Julie and swings down at her.::

::Julie stands there and watches until the very last moment where she spins her saber and neatly slices the warrior in half. His top half falls left and his bottom right as both body parts tumble to the ground. Julie watches until it hits, then wipes the splattering of blood from her face. She climbs deftly down the tree and goes through the robes of the warrior, looking for anything that might be of use. She finds a few weapons, but nothing of great interest. Using his clothing to clean herself further, Julie sniffs nonchalantly and stands, walking to the palace courtyard.::

::The warrior walks closer to the castle and stands here, waiting. She is masked and hooded!::

::Julie runs until she's several feet away from the warrior. She stands there, waiting.::

::The warrior also stands and watches, waiting herself.::

"I am not the one you should be fighting."

(I'm the furture one!)

"But I cannot allow you to bring terror to this place."

(Why do I get all weird in Chinese?)

::The woman scoffs.::

"I was born to destroy you and all of the disaster that you bring upon every place you step."

::Julie crosses her arms.::

"I do not bring disaster. I save people."

"Ah, yes, I'm sure the flooded village of Taishi agrees with that. How was drowning three thousand people saving them?"

::Julie's face falls.::

(Even in my past life I was a murderer.)

"That was not me."

::The woman draws her sword.::

"It never will be again."

::Julie does the same.::

"Show me the face of my death."

"You do not deserve it."

::She starts to circle Julie, sword pointed at her.::

"You cannot kill me."

::Julie doesn't move. In fact, she closes her eyes.::

"That remains to be seen."

::Julie sighs.::

(Feel free to save me anytime now, guys.)

::She opens her eyes and watches the warrior now.::

"First, I will break your mask."

::She watches some more.::

"Then, I will break your left arm."

"How unorthodox, when it is clear that my right arm is the better one."

"I do not want to cripple you. I just want to give you pain."

::So she does. Julie blinks in about seven inches away from the warrior and hits her mask with the hilt of her sword.::

::The girl's head snaps back and a huge crack appears on the mask, zigzagging from bottom to top. She lands on the ground flat out but the mask stays put. She's shocked by the whole thing.::

(Such speed!)

::Goody! She's on the floor! Julie's quick about stepping on the woman's left arm so her feet are on opposite sides of her elbow, she quickly brings down the hilt of her sword once more but now just above the bend of the warrior's arm.::

::Pain surges up and down the warrior's arm and she cries out loudly. But her right arm is bringing her sword up to the backs of Julie's legs in a bid to chop 'em off. That'll teach her.::

::Julie does a backflip and lands far from the sword and is already in a fight stance.::

"Show me your face."

::Breathing hard, the woman slowly sits up. Her broken arm is held to her chest and she can't quite believe that Julie is beating her so easily. To be able to move like that...::

"I do not wish to kill you."

::Julie shows so by putting her sword down.::

"I repeat once more, I am not the Ju Rong you seek. Now, unmask yourself, let me see your eyes."

::Already the warrior has put her pain behind her and, though it would be a bad idea to use her arm, can operate normally again. Ju Rong's tactics confuse her; mostly because she thinks the woman is actually serious. Can this really be the great warrior Ju Rong?::

(Perhaps my reputation has preceded me.)

::But that's too crude a thought to entertain. The girl doesn't get up, but after a few minutes of quiet contemplation, she does remove her mask.::

::Julie's jaw drops.::

(It can't be...)

::Carys drops both pieces onto the ground and they land with a clatter. The porcelain shatters as the warrior looks on with a calm expression.::

::Julie stares in disbelief.::

"You killed me?"

::She looks down.::

"Carys the rapist is my past life murderer. This in unbelievable."

::She crosses her arms.::

"I... God... we need to find Ju Rong. But I doubt you'll be able to kill her now that I broke your arm."

(I can't believe this. No one can ever know about this!)

"You do not convince me, Ju Rong. It is quite clear who you are."

"Is it, Carys? You were meant to kill me... not me... past me..."

::Julie shakes her head.::

"I probably sound like a crazy person."

::She looks up, she starts to pace.::

"How can I prove to you I'm not the Ju Rong you seek?"

::Carys points her sword at Julie unwaveringly.::

"I will slay you to make sure either way."

::Julie sighs and sits.::

"Come on then. Let's see you try."

"Stand up."

"I'm okay, thanks."

::Julie gives her thr thumbs up.::

::Carys swipes her sword at Julie's upturned thumb with lightning speed.::

::Julie moves her hands away and leans back.::

"Hey! I need those! Andrea would be very upset if I lacked thumbs!"

::She shouts in English, still sitting. How patronizing.::

::Carys replies in English.::

"Andrea is dead."

::Julie jumps up.::

"Andrea is well and alive in another time."

::She picks up her sword.::

"She's fine."

::Julie does some fancy sword twirling movements there.::

"And you will never lay another finger on her. Not in this life or the next."