Chapter 38

## Ann and Hachimaru and Goku

**Chapter 38** is titled "Ann and Hachimaru and Goku".

## Short Summary

While Daruma and Hanaichi's combined group head to location of the next Box Key, Hachimaru and Ann's bond starts to falter. Ann's quick warming to Goku and Hachimaru's envy of him forms more cracks in their relationship, and the two struggle to find the root cause of the rough patch before they drift any further apart.

## Long Summary

As Ata prepares to gather the Samurai Souls of his victims, Daruma and Hanaichi's Holders follow Hachimaru's map, now uploaded for everyone to see. Goku praises Hachimaru for his ability to find the other Keys and expresses curiosity about who they will find next. The two Samurai trade ideas about what their next ally will be like, barely masking their dislike of each other. Sanda asks Ryu to weigh in, but like with everyone, he simply thinks they are good guys.

Later, Hachimaru finishes a training session and heads to ask Ann to cook him something. When he enters the kitchen, he finds that Goku cooked a meal himself, and becomes annoyed when he sees how impressed Ann is. His jealousy shows when he refuses to eat along with everyone else, and has challenges Goku to a sparring match. Hachimaru tries to assert that Ann is off-limits, but Goku brushes him off and wins the match, slicing Hachimaru in two before he can even swing his Samurai Soul. Hanaichi offers to tell Daruma what happened, but he discerns the outcome himself. Aware that Hachimaru is not seeing his true opponent properly, he thinks to himself that Goku is an obstacle Hachimaru needs right now.

Goku offers to take Ann to show his cooking recipe, but she decides to help Hachimaru put himself together. Angered at his defeat, he snaps at Ann, and she leaves as he beats himself up for taking his frustrations out on her. Once he recovers, he apologizes to her, but while she accepts it, Hachimaru senses that her feelings don't match her words. When Ann leaves, Goku chides him for not understanding how a Samurai should behave. He explains that Hachimaru focuses too much on a Samurai is like on the surface, and that blinds him to who Ann is. He also tells him that the bond between a duo of fate is not obligated to become love: love is a feeling that has to be given without obligation. Hachimaru gets defensive, asking why Goku cares, and he reveals that he gets upset when he sees a Samurai who doesn't understand Princess because he has no Princess to bond with. Later on, Goku shows Ryu, Sanda, Hachimaru and Ann his flower-arranging skills by transforming one of the main room's floating spheres. Hachimaru doesn't get it, so Ann explains the true meaning of flower arranging: to express what's in a person's heart. Hachimaru still doesn't get it, so he storms off.

As the journey progresses, Ann begins spending more time with Goku, which makes Hachimaru even more upset. He eventually decides to seek help, and asks Sen's Princess Kiriku for advice on how Samurai should feel about their Princesses. She tells him that such feelings vary from person to person. In her experience, Samurai and their Princesses often separate when they fail to truly get to know one another. She also tells him that Princess who lose their Samurai partner will typically team up with another.

At the same time, Ann asks Sen if he went through an awkward phase with Kiriku himself. He admits to it, but he asks why she needs to know. She admits that she is worried Hachimaru is only concerned with her as a Princess, but not personally. Sen counters that their bond is special, citing the duel on Kenka. Ann believes that that was from her feelings only. Kiriku and Sen give their respective listeners the same advice: go to the other and figure out the truth.

Both take the advice and meet up. Hachimaru asks Ann if she is avoiding him, and she replies with a basic apology. Unsatisfied, he asks why her behavior changed when they began traveling with Goku. Ann responds that Goku is not the problem, and that *he* is the only Samurai she's interested in. Hachimaru still doesn't have a true answer, so Ann goes on to reveal that she feels like he sees her only as a helper instead of seeing who she truly is. She stayed silent about her feelings because she was afraid of being a nuisance. Hachimaru tries to tell her that he doesn't feel that way, citing his oath to protect her as proof. However, Ann doesn't believe him, and in a moment of passion, claims his need to protect her is surface level unlike her brother, who wanted to protect her on a personal level.