Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 does NOT belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for a little fun. The story and Sakira Saotome in there does belong to me so don't take them. This story is dedicated to Sakira Saotome who is my best friend at school. Cherry Blossom Light Part 5: Light Within The Darkness By: Silver Star I hate you, Ranma...I hate you...I never want to see your stupid face again...I hate you...! Ranma Saotome bolted up from his futon with a gasp. Sweat pour down from his forehead, dripping into his wide hurt filled eyes. The last line echoed inside his brain, refusing to disappear and leave him alone. He could still hear her voice, telling him how much she resented him, and how much she hated to be engaged to him. He could see in his mind, Akane staring at him with pure hatred in her eyes. He could see Ryoga and Kuno standing behind her, laughing at him, mocking that he couldn't even win the love from a girl. Ranma buried his face in his hands, wanting to forget the dream, but it plagued at him, eating at him until nothing is left but an empty shell. Just outside the window of Ranma's room, Akane looked at him from within the shadows. "Yes..." she hissed gleefully, laughing at his hurt and misery. "Now you can pay for all those hurt filled nights, Ranma Saotome. This is just the beginning, Ranma." She smiled a smile filled with glee and menace. "This is just the beginning." And the gleeful laugh that followed strikes fear into the heart of darkness. ~~~~~~~ "Ne...Aniki...we'll always be together, right?" The young blond girl asked. She tilted her head slightly and looked at her older brother inquiringly. "Hai. Kira-chan, we'll always be together," The young black-haired boy said confidently and smiled to his little sister. "Forever. And I'll protect you, Kira-chan." "Ie, I don't need your protection." The young girl said stubbornly. She looked up from staring at the cheerful fire and looked at her older brother's face. They are only a few minutes apart at birth, and yet, there's almost a distinct age difference between the two. "Promise me, Aniki." "I promise you, Kira-chan. We'll always be together, no matter what." Sakira whimpered in her sleep as her memories twisted itself into a nightmare in her mind. She doesn't want to remember those hurtful memories anymore, the night where she spend shivering in the mud, hoping that her father would come back, wishing to know what she had done wrong. Slowly, her breathing deepened again and she slipped into another dream, one that holds the secret of her real past. The blond little girl walked through the bright corridors, looking for her older sister. Her long white silk robes flapped as she looked through each room. "Onee-chan? Where are you?" She called out finally but there's no answer, only her echo through the beautiful palace. She sniffed, a tear made its way down her pink cheeks. "Please come out! I give up!" "Ne, giving up already?" A mischievous voice said as a slightly older girl with long shiny black hair, wearing black silk robes, appeared from around the corner. "I would have though you would be more enduring. Crybaby." She teased. "Onee-chan!" The blond girl cried, throwing her arms around the other girl's neck. "I thought you abandoned me." She said, still sniffling, but no longer crying. "I won't abandon you, Onee-chan." The black-haired girl said, hugging the blond girl back. "I won't ever abandon you." "Promise?" "Promise." "Onee-chan!" The little blond girl cried, tears running down her cheeks as she stretched out her hands toward her fast disappearing sister. "Onee-chan!" "No! Don't take me away! Please, don't take me away!!" The black-haired girl begged, reaching out toward her sister in vain. The man holding her didn't let go; he just went on. "NOOOOO!!!!" "No...don't take me away...please..." the black-haired girl said softly in her dreams. A single tear made its way down her cheek. "Sakira...gomen..." ~~~~~~~ "Sakira, sit," Ranma commanded. He plopped down in the middle of the Tendo Dojo, not bothering to wait for his sister to sit first. "What is it, Ranma?" Sakira asked suspiciously, sitting down carefully. "What's going on? And where's Akane? I hadn't seen her since the first night I was here." "Before I answer your questions, I want to ask, do you remember anything that happened Tuesday night?" "Tuesday...night?" Sakira's voice was hesitant, as if she's not sure of what she should say. "Well...I don't remember much, except going to sleep and-" she paused here, her expression showing confusion. "And Akane coming in to kiss me goodnight?" She shook her head, a frown settling onto her face. "Everything's real hazy after that," she finished. It was almost like a dream, and no matter how hard she tries, could not summon up a clear image. All she can see are blurs. "Just blurs of..." she paused, bowing her head slightly to hide her confusion. Her voice was suddenly soft, barely a whisper. "Just blurs of light, shadow, and darkness..." "What?" Ranma asked, not catching what she said. Sakira's head snapped up, and she seemed to be snapped out of something. "Er, nothing, nothing at all," she said, a nervous laugh escaped, and she scratched the back of her head in a sheepish manner. Ranma raised an eyebrow, but decided to let that slip. he thought to himself. "You want to know what happened, right?" he asked, and Sakira nodded mutely, the sheepish expression gone to be replaced by a serious face. Ranma quickly explained what he had seen and heard, and his conversation with Genma afterwards. Through it all, Sakira bore an almost dazed expression, and she practically radiate confusion, but she did not voice any of her questions until Ranma is finished. "Wait a sec, I don't get it," Sakira finally blurted out. "Why do I have powers, and you don't? Who wants my powers? If they're powerful enough to summon youmas, why not just come and get me themselves? I mean, wouldn't it be easier to just grab me instead of using large amount of powers in summoning youmas that have a very low level of success? Where did they took Akane? And why in the world do they want to take her? To lure me in? Or because of something else? And if they're trying to lure me in, why not take yo-" "STOP!" Ranma shouted, stopping the barrage of questions quite effectively. He sighed, suddenly feeling like an old man. Is this how Genma felt every time he got into trouble? "Listen, I don't have any answers to your questions. Pop may have some more answers, but somehow, I doubt it. I think he told me all he knew about this situation." Ranma slowly stood up. "It's late, Sakira. I think we better go to sleep. We still have school tomorrow, after all." Sakira shook her head slightly, and didn't stand up. "Can I stay in here for a little bit, Ranma? I want to think about this whole thing." Ranma looked slightly uncertain, but then he nodded. "Alright. But don't stay up too late, Kira." Sakira nodded. "Don't worry, Onee-chan, we'll find Akane soon," she said softly. Ranma turned and smiled tiredly, almost sadly. "Yeah," he said, opening the sliding door. "I certainly hope so." And then, he was gone. After a few moments of silence, Sakira stood up. She walked to the wall, and flipped the light switch off, plunging the dojo into total darkness. Slowly, silently, she walked back to her original position in the center of the dojo, and sat down again. The silence engulfed her, the darkness wrapped around her like a warm blanket. They were almost like old friends. An image of Lord Shinuki appeared in her mind. She could still remember the times when he told her the legends, the legends about the Three Sisters of Light, Shadow, and Darkness. Sakira froze, eyes wide in the darkness of the dojo. The Three Sisters of Light, Shadow, and Darkness... And then, the memories returned. ~~~~~~~ Tai' Tsen watched the black haired girl from within the shadows. Despite her form of a young girl, Tai' Tsen was not fooled. She was at least sixty thousand years old, if not more. Tai' Tsen can tell because he himself is more than forty thousand years old, and although not as old or as powerful as her, he is powerful enough to be considered one of the higher entities. "She is quite a something, m'Lord," the man standing beside him said softly, voice barely above a whisper. But Tai' Tsen can hear him clearly. "This Child of Darkness." Tai' Tsen did not turn around to see who the man is. He already knew by the man's ki signature. All things have it's own unique signature, whether a human, a divine entity, a demon, or a rock. You just have to learn to read that signature. "Yes, she is, Glenn," Tai' Tsen replied, just as soft, if not softer. He was pleased and disappointed to note that Glenn was straining to hear him. Pleased because it shows how much more powerful he is to the younger man, disappointed because Glenn had not improved in gaining power. Tai' Tsen continued to watch her as she passed on a sentence to the demon kneeling before her with cold eyes, and even colder voice. Her tone dripped with disdain of the snarling demon. Four instead of two immortals came to take the demon away, showing just how dangerous the demon really was. But the Child of Darkness was not afraid. She is afraid of nothing. Or so everyone thought. Tai' Tsen knew better, because he is the second most powerful entity in the land of Darkness, the first being the Child of Darkness. He knew all about her past, how she came to being...and her two sisters. He knew about her fear for her youngest sister, the Child of Light whom was reborn as a human. He had visited her more than once over the human girl's mortal life. As if she knew he was thinking of her, the Child of Darkness cast her cold, dark eyes, at the dark corner where he was hiding. Her eyes looked right at him, no, right _through_ him, as if she can see him. And he had no doubt that she indeed can see him, despite the protective layers of invisibility spell he had cast about himself and his votary. [1] No one else can see him, but she can, because she is so much more powerful. Tai' Tsen smiled and bowed slightly, almost mockingly, from the waist, his eyes never leaving her face. In turn, she offered him a chilling smile that no one else noticed. Tai's Tsen's smiled widened a bit. He wondered what she would do if she found out that he was trying to kill her little sister. ~~~~~~~~~~~ To be continued... ~~~~~~~~~~~ [1] Votary - devoted followers, students, worshipers. So, what do ya think? Like it? Please send C&C to bailuli@hotmail.com No flames please!! ^_^ Part 1-4 is archived here: http://www.angelfire.com/anime/kei/cherryblossom.html Hope you liked it! See ya next time!