Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Crow: Land of the Rising Sun ❯ Chapter 01 ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The Crow: Land of the Rising Sun
A Ranma 1/2, Sailor Moon, The Crow Fanfiction
by SoftRogue
whiteb100@hotmail.com

Ranma is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi
Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi
The Crow is the creation of James O'Barr
I do not own them, so please don't sue me

Chapter 1

+++++++++++++++++++++
There will come a time when you believe
believe everything is finished.
Than will be the beginning.
-Louis L'Amour, 'Lonely on the Mountain'
+++++++++++++++++++++

First, there was Pain.

An all encompassing, world shattering, mind numbing, nerve racking Pain. Every fiber of his mind, body and soul cried out in agony as he breathed in a shuttering breath.

Second, there was Darkness.

As his body screamed in torture, he saw absolute nothingness. At first, he thought that his eyes were closed, but as he moved a up hand to feel his eyelids his hand bumped into something mere inches above him.

Finally, there was Fear.

Not just any fear, but a mind consuming Fear. Something very much like his OLD Fear. The Fear that had threatened to absorb his very being throughout most of his life. A Fear that even now; with his Pain in the Darkness; he struggled against so that it wouldn't steal the last remaining shreds of his humanity.

Hoping against hope, he pushed his hands upwards in an effort to escape and he shoved. The barrier above him moved. With a great heave he pushed, and pushed, until suddenly a cascade of dirt rained down on him. Reaching up, he began to 'swim' through the falling earth until finally, finally, he broke through the surface above.

Pausing once his shoulders was above the ground; he took a deep breath of the crisp night air. Then ever so slowly, he pulled himself out of his hole. Collapsing in relief on the rain soaked sod; he took a moment to rest. He then painfully rose this feet and shook his head; causing his long, dark hair to become unbound.

### Well, it's about time. ###

"Huh? Wha? Who said that?" He said in confusion as he looked around.

### I did. Right here. ###

"Who...what are you?" he asked as his eyes landed upon a large black bird roosting on a nearby rock.

### You already know that, Ranma. Now, follow me. ###

And with that, the crow took flight.

"Where are you taking me?"

### Someplace...safe. ###

And so the chase began. The crow would fly in a direction and Ranma; in his weakened and disorientated state; would stagger and stumble across the rain slick streets. Behind stores and down alleys the two traveled, with the crow occasionally perching here or there in order to wait for Ranma to catch up.
Finally, in a fit of frustration, Ranma pulled of his red silk off and tossed it into the gutter, absently noticing that it had been sliced down the back.

Staggering to a halt, Ranma leaned against a dumpster that the crow was perched upon. With rain soaking his hair and running down his bare torso, he looked with confusion at the inky fowl. He watched as it hop back and forth from foot to foot, and a dim understanding came to him. Ranma reached out with a hand and as soon as he touched the top of the dumpster near where the crow was, it took to the skies.

Beneath his hands, he felt a cloth of some sort. Removing it from the trash, Ranma saw that it was a long-sleeve black shirt. Without further thought, he pulled over his head and thrust his arms into the sleeves. It was tight, skin tight, Ranma noticed almost dimly; but it would do. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Ranma continued his pursuit of the crow.

Twisting and turning through the dank alleys the two traveled, streets and walls becoming a blur until the avian once again the paused in it's flight. This time needing neither prodding nor motivation, Ranma reached out to grab what the bird had alighted on. What his fingers felt this time was the sensation of worn leather. Lifting the item up, Ranma found himself holding a well-worn black leather jacket. Throwing it around his shoulders, he couldn't shake the feeling of 'rightness' in how he was now clothed...but something was missing.

Once more Ranma shook his head, sending droplets flying from his long mane, and again followed the crows' flight. They traveled for an eternity; or perhaps for a handful of seconds, until the soft sounds of water gently flowing reached his ears. Ranma surged forward in a flash of inspiration as the words the crow had 'spoken' to him became clear.

Stumbling down an embankment, Ranma came to a halt at the edge of a drainage ditch. He looked around to finding his bearings, then took off to his right, following the flowing water. He stopped underneath a bridge and turned to face a large culvert that was covered over by a metal grate. With a sharp tug, the rusted grating swung open with a loud screech. The crow landed on his shoulder as Ranma took another look around, then he entered the culvert.

Stumbling for several feet, Ranma came to a halt and leaned his head heavily on a door. Feeling the cold metal pressed against his cheek, he sighed in relief. After a moments rest, Ranma griped the frame on either side of the door, leaned back and, with a loud yell, slammed his entire body forward against the slab of solid metal.

With loud crack, the rusted latch gave way. Falling inside, Ranma stumbled and collapsed onto the cold cement floor, landing hard on his hands and knees, as the crow flew inside. Rising up onto his knees, Ranma looked around the room.

As a child, Ranma had always been forced to move around by his father in an effort to become the greatest martial artist ever. As a result, the only possessions he had in his youth were few and small; little mementos of his life on the road. As he grew older, however, it soon became obvious that if Ranma had anything of value, it would be soon stolen by Genma to be sold for his own use. Consequently, by the time they arrived at the Tendo's, Ranma had learned a harsh lesson in life and as a result he never had any possessions that he could call his own.

However, after staying at the Tendo Dojo for a time, Ranma began to pick up little odds and ends from the continuous and perpetual battles that occurred around him. Yet it soon became apparent that Genma's ways remained the same no matter where he was. But soon serendipity would smile on Ranma.

It happened shortly after the incident with Tsubasa. Ranma was walking by a drainage ditch, deep in thought. As the rain began, he found himself underneath a bridge waiting for the storm to pass. Leading against a pillar, Ranma looked around and soon noticed the grate hanging loose over the culvert. With nothing else to do, he decided to do a little exploring. Just inside of the culvert he found an old deserted storage room.

At first, he would return there in order to be alone, truly alone, with his thoughts without having to worry about anyone finding him. He then added bits of mismatched furniture that he found in order to make the room more 'his', another thing he missed out on in his life. But after awhile, Ranma began to bring bits and pieces of this and that that he wanted to keep for one reason or another.

A thick layer of dust covered the variety of weapons that were arranged all over the room; some obvious in function, others not. However, weapons were not the only things occupying the space. Over here was his junior year science project that miraculously had escaped damage (more miraculous was the grade he had gotten on it, a B-). While over there were the remains of the broken casket of Naniichaun.

"What a minute." Ranma muttered as he levered himself to his feet. Looking down at himself, he saw that the clothing he wore was damp and a small puddle had collected at his feet.

"I...didn't change..." he said slowly as reality sank in. "I...I ain't a girl..."

Ranma stood stock still in complete shock for a few moments. Then, "Ain't gonna be a girl no more. Ain't gonna be a girl no more. Ain't gonna be a girl no more." he chanted in sing-song as he capered around like a marionette with it's strings cut.

Ranma continued on like that for several minutes, as the crow looked on; while behind its head a sweat-drop steadily growing larger. He slowly came to a halt with a perplexed look on his face.

"But...but how was I cured?"

***Flash***
facespainlaughterangerburningvoicesconfusi onscornbetrayalagonypanicanguish
***Flash***

"GGHHHAAAAARRRR" Ranma shrieked in pain as he collapsed to the floor and curled into a fetal position; his hands gripping the sides of his head.

***Flash***
contemptangercursesheartbreakpaindisgustlaug hterddishonordeceptiondarkness
***Flash***

"Stop it. Stop it! STOP IT!"

***Flash***
paindarknessfearpaindarknessfearpaindarknessf earpaindarknessfearpainPainPAIN
***Flash***

"NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOO OOO!!!!!"

Ranma laid on the floor, heaving and sobbing, as the tsunami of memories ebbed. Finally, composure returned and he once again was able to think clearly.

"What happened to me? I remember...I remembered...dying? No..."

Crawling across the floor towards a small vanity in the corner of the room, Ranma hauled himself up and collapsed into a chair set nearby. Placing his elbows onto top of the vanity, Ranma buried his face in his hands as a tear trickled down his face. Taking a calming breath, he looked up and saw a Noh mask hanging next to the vanity mirror. He reached up to gently caress its milky white face.

***Flash***
"Ranma. Are you paying attention?" Akane asked.

"Yes I am, Akane." Ranma replied; his nose buried deep in the script he held.

"Well, you'd better be. This is really important to me. You'd better not screw this up like you did with 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'The Lion King'."

"Hey. You don't have ta worry about a thing!"
***Flash***
"We, the Kyoto High School Anything-goes Martial Arts Theater Troupe, challenge you!"
***Flash***
"You'd better not drop me Ranma!"

"Don't worry, Akane. I'll never let go of you..."
***Flash***

Pulling his hand away as if it were burned, he angrily swept the clutter off the top of the vanity and slammed his head onto the table in a vain effort to drive his memories away; cracking the thick hardwood in the process. Looking up at the grimy mirror, he saw a deep gash across his now bloody forehead. As he watched, the blood pulled back into the injury and wound healed itself, leaving no trace of a scar.

His eyes locked on his reflection, Ranma began to laugh. And he laughed and laughed and laughed. A deep, rich bone chilling laugh, devoid of any mirth or warmth. A laugh that numbed the very soul.

Coming to an end of his laughing fit, Ranma reached over and opened one of the drawers in the vanity. First he pulled a jar of face paint and unscrewed its lid. Removing a generous amount of the white grease paint, he began to apply it to his face and neck. Once he was content with the results, he removed a brush and a container of black pigment. Using the Noh mask as a guide, Ranma painted his lips and his eyes.

Wiping his hands clean on a scrap of cloth, Ranma then ran his fingers through his long hair. Pausing to look at his image in the dingy mirror, he considered the image he cast in the mirror for a moment. He finally removed his fingers, letting his mane fall back untied. Standing up, Ranma grasped the lapels of the leather jacket he still wore and adjusted it in one smooth motion.

"I need...information."

"Caw! Caw!"

+++++++++++++++++++++
In every dispute between parent and child, both cannot
be right, but they may be, and usually are, both wrong.
-Isaac Rosenfeld
+++++++++++++++++++++

^Click^

The sound echoed as if a thousand guns had fired through the crisp night air. Or at least it seemed that way to the pale young woman as she ever so slowly removed her key from the lock and quietly eased the door open. Stepping carefully inside, she gently closed the door behind her and turned the lock, wincing at the noise it made.

She cocked her head to the side in an effort to listen to any movement within the house. Satisfied that no one was awake, the young woman crept stealthily towards her destination, pausing only to remove her shoes. Her first stop was the kitchen, and by the very dim light shining in from outside, she briskly disposed of the two boxes she had carried wrapped in a dark cloth. Once done, she prowled slowly out of the kitchen, passed the dinning room, and into the living room. Slowing down even more, she began to move up the steps like molasses.

^Click^

"Welcome home, Hotaru."

"...shit..." she muttered as she shaded her eyes from the sudden bright light.

"Is that all you have to say for yourself? Shit?" A shorthaired blonde demanded as she stood in the center of the living room, arms crossed over her chest.

Snorting in disgust, Hotaru Tomoe backed off the step she was on and turned to face the occupants of the room. "No Haruka, it's not." She said, her voice dripping sarcasm, "I can think of a LOT of words I'd like to say right now, but they're nothing you haven't heard before. After all, I learned them all from you."

"Why, you little..." Haruka Ten'oh said angrily as she began to surge forward, only to be held back by a soft and gentle touch on her shoulder.

"Haruka, please." The other woman standing in the room said gently, her aquamarine tresses flowing down her back. "Hotaru-chan...do you know what time it is?"

"No, Michiru-'Mama'," Hotaru spat, "I have absolutely no idea what time it is. That's why I was sneaking in. After all, I wouldn't want to disturb your afternoon tea, now would I?"

Taking a deep, calming breath (and keeping her hand on Haruka's shoulder) Michiru Kaiou replied, "Please Hotaru, we're just worried about you. Being out all hours of the night, doing Kami knows what, and..."

"Where were you?" Haruka demanded, interrupting her lover's speech.

"Excuse me?" Hotaru asked defensively.

"I don't think I can make myself any clearer, child. Where. Have. You. Been?" the platinum hair woman demanded.

"None. Of. Your. Business. Is that clear enough for you? And for your information, I am no longer a child."

"Now Hotaru, Haruka. Please, let's not fight." Michiru pleaded.

"Now see here." Haruka said, her voice began to slowly rise in anger, "As long as you fail to act responsibly, you leave me no choice but to treat you like a child. If you want to be an adult, then you had better damn well better start acting like one, damn it!"

"Oh, like your one to talk."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"You damn well know I mean!"

"Haruka! Hotaru! The two of you stop this right now!" Michiru yelled at the top of her lungs, startling the two arguing woman. Taking another deep, calming breath, she pressed her fingertips against her temple before she continued. "Hotaru, please go to your room. We'll continue this conversation in the morning with clearer heads."

"Fine. Whatever." Hotaru said as she rolled her eyes before she stomped up the stairs, down the hall, and slammed her bedroom door.

Letting loose an explosive breath, Haruka walked over to the couch and collapsed onto it. Picking up the glass she had left on the table, she drained its contents in one gulp, then slammed it back down onto the table. Running a hand through her short-cropped hair she said, "I don't know where we've gone wrong. I just don't know..."

"Now, now." Michiru said as she sat down next to her paramour, "We haven't done anything wrong. She's just going through a phase, that's all."

"It's not a 'phase'. A 'phase' doesn't last for six years." Haruka sighed as she shook her head. She then gave the last occupant of the room a piercing gaze. "And why didn't You say anything, Setsuna?"

Returning Haruka's glare with a look of mild reproach, Setsuna Meiou settled deeper into her favorite chair and said, "Why? You seemed to be doing just fine by yourself."

"The two of you had better not start anything." Michiru interjected before anyone could say another word; "I'd don't want to have to break up another argument tonight."

Haruka scowled as she stole a glance at her lover, then turned back to the red-eyed woman. "Well Setsuna? Don't you have anything to say? Can't you at least tell us where she's been?"

"I've told you before, Haruka, the Gates of Time are not to be used on a mere whim. I can't use it like it was a closed circuit TV system, you know. I can only see 'possibilities' of the future, not the present or the past." Setsuna said slowly.

"Fine." Haruka said, hoping to end another lecture on the quantum mechanics of time before it began. "Are you at least going to say something about how Hotaru's been acting?"

"Well, lets see..." Setsuna said as she pressed her fingertips together and rested them against her chin. "She's been acting independent, bull-headed, strong-willed, and she's difficult to control...hum...that sounds so familiar for some reason...I just can't place who she's reminding me of..."

"Oh thank you SO very much, Setsuna." Haruka said, her voice dripping with contempt as Michiru did her best to hide her small smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm heading to bed."

Michiru watched as her lover walked up the stairs. Once she heard Haruka close their bedroom door, she turned to Setsuna and said, "That wasn't a very nice thing to say, you know.

"Perhaps." Setsuna replied with a small nod of agreement as she folded her hands onto her lap, "But it needed to be said. Haruka needed to have things put into perspective. Hotaru is right, though. She's 19 years old now and we still tend to think of her as a child. We should respect her decisions and trust her judgment."

"I sense a 'but' in there." Michiru said in an effort to lead Setsuna on.

"However," Setsuna continued, flashing a small smile, "Haruka is correct as well. Hotaru is still living with us, and as long as she is she should show us some courteously and respect our rules. And a little politeness wouldn't hurt; on both their parts."

"I guess your right." Michiru replied with a sigh as she stood up and stretched, "Well, I'm calling it a night."

"Good night, Michiru. Could you turn the lights off on your way up?"

Once Michiru left the room, Setsuna remained sitting the darkness. Cocking her head to one side, she looked out the window and; seeing the summers night sky covered by clouds, the Guardian of Time smiled a small smile of satisfaction.

+++++++++++++++++++++
Whilst that for which all virtue now is sold
and almost every vice, almighty gold.
-Ben Jonson, 'Epistle to Elizabeth, Countess of Rutland'
++++++++++++++++++++

"Is there anything else that needs to be covered this evening?" a rich, cold soprano filled the dimly lit meeting room. After no one responded to the query, the voice once again spoke; this time with the hard edge of authority. "Very well then. You all have your orders. You're dismissed."

The handful of people sitting around the table rose and filed out of the room, leaving a lone woman sitting at its head. Once the door closed, she picked up an expensive leather briefcase from the floor next to her chair. Placing it on the table, she popped it latches with a sharp snap. Opening the briefcase, she picked up a slim folder from the tabletop and placed it inside. Closing the case, she then grasped the handle and stood. Walking to a door on the wall opposite the one the others exited, she stepped through and headed for the private elevators.

Arriving at the elevators, she pressed the 'up' button and waited patiently. While waiting, she looked around the hallway in boredom until something she noticed caused a small frown to crease her mouth. Walking over to the rows of pictures on the wall opposite the elevators, she reached out and straitened one of them. Looking at her own image in the picture; a cold, calculating smile appeared on her face as she read the words inscribed on the small plaque positioned below it.

-Director of Acquisitions-
-Nabiki Tendo-

Hearing the elevator arrive, the middle Tendo sister turned and entered the lift. Quickly entering a PIN into the keypad above the floor buttons, she reflected on the irony of her job and title. While it was true she was in charge of the purchasing process that kept Genom Corporation running day-to-day; her real duties were much more...sinister.

Anything that anyone wanted, she could 'acquire' it. For a price. Be it material or intangible, Nabiki Tendo would procure it. It didn't matter what it was, where it was, or even if it was illegal; she could find and obtain it.

And Nabiki had earned her job; and the exorbitant paycheck that came with it; the hard way. With payoffs, blackmail, and underhanded deals. And every effort she had invested in her goal was worth it; at age 27, she's the youngest person in the history of Genom to hold a Directorial position. She had ambitions, however, to rise higher in the ranks of Genom Corporation; but she was wise enough to keep them in check and knew enough to continue to curry favor with the higher-ups.

The elevator finally came to a stop and Nabiki exited into her private office. With a humorous smile, she once again thought were someone to cover the floor with an image of the 'Tree of Life' the office would look like it came directly out of her favorite Anime. Walking over to the large window covering one side of the office, she stood for a moment to enjoy the view of city's lights through the sprinkling rain. Moving over to her large desk, she put her briefcase on its surface and sat down in her plush leather chair and, after a moments time spent organizing her papers, she began to work.

Time seemed to fly as Nabiki bent to her task, her thoughts dancing with figures and information that she would rearrange and adjust them in order to achieve the results she wished. She was starting to bring her work to a close when an unfamiliar sound reached her ears. Looking up from her papers, she scanned the room and saw nothing amiss. Shrugging, Nabiki was about to return to her work when a dark shape suddenly flew directly at her.

Reflexively, she pushed her chair backwards as she ducked onto the floor. Seeing that nothing had passed overhead, Nabiki returned to her seat. "I must be working too hard. I'm starting to see things."

"Caw!"

Startled by the sudden sound, Nabiki looked around and was surprised by what she saw. Perched on top of her computer monitor was a large, ugly black crow.

"How the hell did you get in here?" she asked the bird.

"It flew." was the response. Not being fooled, Nabiki looked around her office to locate the speaker. "I mean, that's how a bird usually gets to where it wants to go, ya know."

Out of the shadows, a figure emerged. The first thing Nabiki noticed was his eyes; a piercing, rich blue devoid of all warmth. Next was his face; completely white, with black accenting around his mouth and eyes like a Noh mask, hidden behind a cascade of long black hair. A stray memory tugged at her mind; something about him was familiar...something about his eyes...

"Thanks for the information." Nabiki said with sarcasm, as a hand slowly reached under her desk to press the alarm button there. "Now who the hell are you and what do you want?"

Clasping his hands over his chest, the man staggered dramatically. "You wound me, Nabiki-chan. Not remembering me. But as to what I want..." straightening up, he quickly moved to in front of the desk, "I want information. Information only you can give me."

Curiosity getting the better of her, Nabiki moved her hand away from the alarm. Before she moved both arms onto the desktop, however, she quietly pulled open the top right desk drawer. "There will be a price, of course, depending on what kind of information your asking for." she replied with a sharp smile.

"Of course there will be a price. There is always a price." He said as a grin creased his face.

The strange sense of recognition began to annoy Nabiki, but she was certain that she would eventually remember who the man before her was; and for the intrusion she would make sure that he would pay dearly. "Alright, mister. What do you need to know?"

Rolling his head down he said, "I need to know about what happened in...Nerima." and with that, he looked up at her and seemed to pin Nabiki to her chair by his gaze alone.

"Nerima?" Nabiki said slowly in confusion.

"Yes, Nerima. After all, nothing happened in Nerima with out you knowing. You were into everything that went on back then; be it blackmailing, bookmaking, or even pornography. Nothing occurred without you knowing something about it."

"Who are you?" Nabiki demanded as her temper beginning to fray.

"I need to know. I need to know who killed me." he said quietly as he placed his hands on the desktop and leaned over it.

Studying his face for a moment, Nabiki suddenly gasped in shock and her face became pale, "No...you died...he died...you can't be him...you can't be Ranma..." she said in a whisper.

Nodding slowly, Ranma climbed on top of the desk and crouched there, balancing on the balls of his feet. "Tell me who killed me, Nabiki, and you'll never see me again."

Shaking herself to clear her mind, Nabiki embraced her 'Ice Queen' persona as her hand moved towards the open drawer. "Oh, you're good. You're really good, who ever you are. I'll admit, you've got a passing to resemblance to Ranma Saotome. I don't know what your game is, but I know for a fact that he's been dead and buried for the last seven years. Ranma could do amazing and impossible things, I'll admit, but not even HE could come back from the dead."

"You have two choices, Nabiki." Ranma said in a low, passionless voice as he held up a finger. "One; you tell me what I want to know and you'll live, or two..." a second finger joined the first, "you tell me what I want to know and you'll die."

"I'll take option number three." Nabiki said with a smirk as she drew a .357 Magnum pistol out of her desk drawer, flipped the safety, and pulled the trigger at point-blank range.

"Kuso!" Nabiki shouted out and stood up as she griped her wrist in pain with her free hand as Ranma went flying back off the desk; landing on the floor in a heap.

"Caw! Caw!" the crow cried as it launched itself into the air and began to circle above the body.

"Don't worry, birdie, you'll be joining your master as soon as I call security."

Nabiki began to reach for the phone when an icy laugh began to echo throughout the room. Watching in dread, Nabiki stood transfixed as Ranma stood up with his back to her. He then turned around slowly and to Nabiki's growing horror, she saw a bullet wound dead center in his chest. Still laughing, Ranma poked at the hole, which closed up without a trace; which caused the intensity of his laughter to increase.

Bringing the gun up in both hands, Nabiki fired another round at Ranma. He staggered back from the impact, but recovered almost instantly as the wound once again disappeared. Gripped in panic, Nabiki repeatedly pulled the trigger over and over again; each bullet striking its target to no effect. The clip finally emptied as Nabiki continued to pull the trigger; the sound of the gun clicking the only thing to now be heard in the room.

With the gun out of bullets, Ranma moved into action. In one swift movement, he leaped on top of the desk and slapped the worthless gun away. Then using both hands, Ranma shoved Nabiki hard, sending her staggering into the wall behind her. She slammed into the wall roughly and rebounded forward; or began to, but Ranma was suddenly there. He grabbed her shoulders painfully and pushed her back, pinning her in place.

"Why Won't You Die!" Nabiki screamed at Ranma, his face inches from hers.

"Lets find out." he replied as let go of her shoulders and grabbed her head.

***Flash***
"Are you absolutely, positively certain that you want to do this? You realize that once we start, there'll be no turning back."
***Flash***
Holding up a small vial of liquid, Nabiki eyed it critically, "You're sure this is going to do the job, right? You know what'll happen if it doesn't work."
***Flash***
"Listen up, people. This is how we're going to proceed..."
***Flash***

Ranma recoiled backwards from the shock of memories as he kept a tight grip on Nabiki's head. He released his hold, but before she could fall Ranma grabbed her around the shoulders and with a giant heave tossed her up over the desk and across the office. She landed badly on one of her legs and it snapped with a sickly sound. Nabiki let out a cry of pain as she tried to crawl across the floor to the door.

"You Bitch!" Ranma yelled as moved forward to the desk. Seizing the heavy wooden desk, he picked it up and threw it to the wall in one smooth motion. Stalking towards the fear stricken woman, Ranma bellowed "You set me up! You planed my death! You poisoned me!"

Coming to a stop, Ranma towered over Nabiki, "And then you didn't even have the courage to watch others do your dirty work." Reaching down, Ranma ceased Nabikis throat with one hand and lifted her up to eye level. "But don't worry though," he whispered almost seductively, "I do."

+++++++++++++++++++++
Thin, airy shoals of visionary ghosts.
-Homer, 'The Odyssey' (bk. XI, I.48)
+++++++++++++++++++++

The light flickered in the small room, casting false shadows across the walls. The heat hung oppressively, like a thick blanket. The only sound that had been heard for the past hour or so was the crackling and popping of the fire blazing in the center of the room.

Before the fire, a woman dressed in the traditional garb of a Shinto Priestess lay upon the floor; her long ebony hair fanned cross the floor, damp with sweat. She slowly began to stir as consciousness returned. Sluggishly levering herself up to a sitting position, she ran a hand across her face in a futile effort to scrub the perspiration off.

Looking deep into the flames, woman searched for any clues in the blaze and in her mind. Memory was fleeting, however, and the fire withheld its knowledge. Only a handful of information stayed with her, leaving her with a sense of dread.

She remembered a terrible, all consuming sadness.

And a large, black bird.