Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Warrior's Dream ❯ Chapter 2

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

Disclaimer: Some characters copyrighted by Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, and Kodansha. Don't think that I'm stupid enough to claim them. I will, however, claim this story and all characters created by me.

Warrior's Dream
Chronicled by Dro'gan, called NiteFlier

Part two of two

Three hundred and twenty-four kilograms of pressure strain my left leg and back, then, like a spring, the joints straighten out and releases the pent-up energy back into the roof, launching me into the sky once more.

Forty meters away, I come down on another flat roof, this time, my right leg bends and stores the potential for flight. Another launch, another landing. My clothes flap around me as my last arc clears several more buildings, bringing me to a clear area, without any buildings.

This time, both legs touch down and bend, each absorbing the strain and pressure. Potential energy diffused and scattered as my legs and back take and dissolve the strain.

I straighten and stand slowly, then walk a few steps away and look back at my landing spot.

"Ha, not even a scratch. I'm getting better."

I've landed on a street just outside the park that separates my Gang's territory from the next one: The Narator Gang.

I walk into the park, unzipping my jacket as I go. It's seen a lot of use, but I keep it in good condition. When Ran gave it to me three years ago, it was old and wearing thin, but with a few strategically placed patches the black leather is still solid enough for me.

I'm still indebted to him for that night, and for the jacket, which he has never asked back.

I see lights ahead in the park. It's too near our entrance to be the Narator, and I can hear Gao's bellowing laugh. I turn a corner on the path, and sure enough, there they are.

Gao, heavyset but strong, leaning up against one of the oaks. Mike, a foreigner that showed up two years ago, but was readily accepted. A few others scattered here and there, or talking to Sai, the leader that Ran picked to succeed him.

And there, overlooking all, is Ran. I'm slightly surprised to see him, since he enrolled in college and passed down the mantle to Sai, he hasn't come on too many of the nighttime patrols. No one's blamed him, he needs all the sleep he can get to pass his classes, and get a good job. Its kind of nogistalic to see him here again, even as I realize that tonight won't be just some pissing match over territory.

I start to go over to him, when someone calls out, "Who let the kid come?"

Everyone stops. I turn and look at the speaker, someone who quite obviously has no idea what he's getting into. The guy is standing near Sai, who has put his hand to his forehead in an exasperated gesture. He's got a sneer on his face, but isn't paying attention to anybody but me, not even the girl that was by his side, who is now inching away, distancing herself from his stupidity. I know that Sai would have told new people about me, so the guy must be spoiling for a fight, or just a complete idiot.

"Where's he from, Sai?" I ask.

Sai drops his hand and rolls his eyes, "He's from neo-town, and he just moved out here a few days ago." He levels his gaze at me. "Don't hurt him too bad, we got a real fight on our hands."

The new guy blows off the subtle hint. "This little girl is supposed to harm me? You gotta be kidding." The girl that was by him, his sister from their looks, is glaring daggers into his back.

I step up to him, mindful of Sai's caution. "Wanna arm wrestle?"

He just sneers and rolls up his sleeve. We both drop to the ground and link hands. "Go." Sai calls absently. He, like everyone else here, knows that the outcome is a forgone conclusion.

The idiot grunts and strains, but my arm remains rock steady, keeping our hands pointed straight up. This goes on for several minutes, then I ask, "Done yet? 'Cause we really need to be getting on with the meeting tonight."

He just redoubles his efforts, but gains no ground. Sai is looking at me and silently telling me to get it over with. I smile at him, then look at my opponent. "Ready to lose?" He just sneers again. Slowly, ever so slowly, our hands move towards the ground. When they complete the steady arc, the back of his hand is touching the grass, and I am getting up off the ground.

Sai shakes his head. "If you're done playing, we need to get on with this." He gestured to the two new people. "This is Jiro, and his sister Mai. There wasn't any time to get together and meet formal like, 'cause Narator and us are going to be hosting..." Sai trailed off.

Ran looked over at him. "We're hosting? How bad?"

Gao looked at him solemnly. "Gang Duel."

I sputter. "We're hosting a duel AGAIN?"

Sai nods. "Yeah, Mortigan's rules."

There are several gasps, and no few groans. I look around at us. A dozen of us, perhaps the same number for Narator, and no less than fifty for each of the Dueling Gangs. This was not good.

Ran looked over at Jiro and Mai, who looked confused. "You two ever been in a Gang before?" When they both shook their heads, he sighed. "Look, most nights aren't anything special. You spend the time patrolling the neighborhood, an' nothing special happens."

I spoke up. "The Gangs themselves are quasi-legal groups formed under the "Ward Militia Act." Each Gang takes over a certain area and keeps the peace. But sometimes, people get greedy."

"And that's where the Duels come in." continued Sai. "They can range from individuals to the whole damn Gang, like we got tonight. But they're always hosted on neutral ground, in between another two Gang's territories."

"And that's us, tonight." piped up Gao. "We make sure the rules are kept."

"Which isn't much, in a Mortigan fight." said Ran.

Jiro looked a bit worried now. "What's a Mortigan fight?"

We looked at each other and intoned as one: "No surrender, no mercy, no one left standing."

Both Mai and Jiro were pale now. "Let's get going." Sai said.

The dozen of us walked further into the park, on the lookout for any members of Narator, or the two Dueling Gangs. We reached the lake, and spotted a few people on the other side.

"Wonder who's over there?" Sai asked aloud.

I look, magnifying the small group several times to bring their faces into focus. "Looks like Diu and two others. Think they might be the Gang leaders."

"Right." Sai said. "Gao, check the area, find out where the opposing sides are, take three. Ran, get the perimeter set, take two. Mike, you're with me. Rei," I grin at him. "Take Jiro and Mai. You know what to do."

I nod at the two to follow me, and the group breaks up.

"I take it you're some kind of tutor?" Jiro asks once we are out of hearing range.

I nod. "Something like that. I'm actually special ops for the Gang."

Mai looks at me oddly. "Special ops? What do you mean by that?"

"Huh. Follow me." I turn off the path and angle into the woods. This track should take us to the other side of the lake. "What I mean, is that I am not your ordinary thirteen-year-old. As your brother found out. Why did you two join the Gang anyway?"

As I led the way, I could almost hear their mental gears shifting from the non-sequiter. "Uh, Well, a few days ago we saw a couple of guys wandering around on the streets, and Jiro went down to see what they were up to." Mai explained.

"And was convinced that joining the Gang was a fun thing to do?" I asked.

Jiro hung his head. Mai gently hit him. "Yes, but its sounding more like a job that he wanted."

"It is a job." I reply. "Of course, there are nights like this, where you wish that you didn't have to watch the slaughter."

"Slaughter?!" The sibling cried.

I stop and turn to face them. "They say it's a lottery that picks neutral ground. Tell me why then, that three out of every five times there is a Duel, no matter what kind, we end up hosting it?" I look at one, then the other in the eyes. "The Hikawa Gang has it's history of strange happenings- I'm an example of that- but there is no happenstance that lets us "win" that lottery." The two of them have gone ashen. Maybe I let them know a bit too much? "Come." I continue on the track.

* * * * *

Strange happening?

Better to call it the most amazing coincidence possible.

That night, three years ago, I left Simand in the dark, hopped aboard a train, and fled, uncaring of where I went. I jumped the train and ran down streets, eventually stopping in a dead end.

Ran found me then, with Gao and two others, and gave me his jacket to cover myself. They took me to the Shrine, where the most incredible accident occurred.

I found my Grandpa.

I found my Name.

I found my Home.

I found my Dream.

* * * * *

It was a killing ground.

Blood ran into the lake from dying bodies, moans and screams came from those unfortunate enough to be conscious, and each of the watchers left the scene feeling no little revision towards a system that legalized such a massacre.

Even if it helped us live our lives in peace.

One of the Narator got caught in the battle, and nearly had his arm ripped off. Sai made condolences for us, but there was little we could do.

In the end, it was merely a pointless fight over land and prestige.

* * * * *

There are seven hundred and fifty stone steps up to the Shrine. It sits on the only hill for twelve kilometers, and is over five hundred years old. The Hikawa Shrine has survived fire, war, and bombing. The Hino family has kept the Shrine for seven generations, sometimes skipping a generation, like my father did.

Emotion. It took time, Grandpa's help, and patience to teach me to feel. Long ago, Simand told me not to be afraid to feel. I still live by that.

I am older now, and wiser. I have lived three years with my Grandfather, and he has taught me much. Control, for one. He knows of the powers that runs in our blood, and he showed me how to control my flame. He showed me the spiritual side of the world, and how to interact with it.

Ran taught me as well. Even though I still don't know his full name, like Saiun, Gaolus, Cojiro, and Maishu, he opened a different world to me. A computer is only as good as its programming, and he made some money fixing computers that didn't do what was expected. He showed me how to debug a program, and to create a working computer from scratch. He also showed me the Net.

That is an experience. I need not fear anything there, for there is no one to threaten me. That is, there is no one that *notices* me. The simple subsitue/barrier firewall that I have removes me from detection unless I act against an object. Ran is the only one to know about my datajack, and he helped me improve the software that I have, and showed me how to code in changes on the fly, should I ever need it.

Computers are amazing devices, but they can only do what they are told. That is how I know that I am human. There is no code that dictates how I act, and what I do.

Thus, I am me.

* * * * *

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

I match the sweep of the broom to the ticking, cleaning the seven hundred and ninth step.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

I pause for a moment, checking the stair, and move down one step to the seven hundred and eighth.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

I am dressed in traditional Miko clothes, with my hair bound up with a watch chain, and the watch itself tucked behind my ear.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

It is something I've kept with me at all times, ever since that night. I do not let it out of my sight, even while bathing.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

I check the step, and move down one more.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

I pause as I see a group of people moving up the stairs. It looks like Cojiro and Maishu are coming with their family. It will be the first time that they have visited to pay their respects.

It is not like we force them too, but the Shrine is the beacon for our neighborhood. We're not called the Hikawa Gang for nothing. The Shrine is what we stand for, and it is why we have kept our area small, but well off. The people that we help may earn their money in other districts, but it all comes back to the shopkeepers here. We help each other out, improving our homes with our own labor, and keeping ourselves safe each night by volunteering for the Gang.

Their coming here is just an affirmation that they are a part of our community.

I step to the side as they come up to me, nodding at the sleepy Cojiro and Maishu. They look at me, surprised perhaps, since I did not tell them where I lived.

A bow later, and I am once again cleaning the stairs.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

* * * * *

"Mild mannered shrine maiden by day, super strong watchman by night."

Gao guffaws in that way of his, belly dancing with his laughs. Mai sighs and elbows her brother for the lame joke. I quirk my eyebrow at him.

"Mild mannered? Hardly." I reply. We are patrolling, wandering randomly down the streets and alleyways that were a part of the Hikawa Gang's territory.

"So most nights are like this?" Mai asks.

Gao nods. "Yep. Cells of four, a leader and three subs. 'Course, none of the other leaders are quite so young as Rei here."

I snort and continue on. Normally Sai wouldn't put siblings in the same cell, but the two worked very well together, as they had proven when put through their paces earlier in the night. Or then, perhaps he just wants me to be with people nearer my own age.

The majority of the people in the Gang are between eighteen and twenty-two. Any older and they have to get sleep at night for their jobs, and any younger and they are considered irresponsible. Jiro was sixteen, and Mai fifteen, making them the second and third youngest members of the Gang. Gao's comment on my age merely exemplified it. Even though he didn't want to be a cell leader, it is a bit demeaning to have to follow the youngest member in the Gang.

But then, when is life fair?

* * * * *

"WHAT?!"

Grandpa was unimpressed by my lungpower. "I said, "isn't it about time that you thought about school?" Is that bad?"

I glared at him. He took it. I snapped, "Why do I need to go to school? I haven't in years!"

"Because, intelligent you may be, but there are some things that intelligence will not get you." He's being logical. Damn. "Besides, do you think that the city will let you inherit the Shrine without any formal education?" I grit my teeth; surely there is some way out of this! Some way where I don't have to tell him! "Listen, I went to school, as well. I even have a degree in Western Theology! There is no reason for you not to go."

I take a deep breath. "Grandpa. What if someone is trying to find me? You know they didn't let me go willingly."

His face becomes impassive. "I know. That's one of the reasons I've enrolled you in a private school, even if it is just one more layer of cover. Another, is that I've been down to Jubban Hall, looking specifically for your name. If they haven't picked up on that in the time since then, then maybe they've stopped looking. I don't know." He look up with a glint in his eye. "But I do know that if anyone comes knocking, they'll have to deal with me!"

* * * * *

T&A Academe. School.

I don't remember the last time I went to school. Or had to wear a school uniform. Ick. Isn't there a law against cruel and unusual punishment? Because this sailor uniform is one of them.

I grumble as I get off the bus. The Academe was in neo-town, so I couldn't walk there, but it was an exclusive school. Grandpa also said that the school would be a good place to learn about girls my own age.

Ha. Ha. Ha. Don't need to know about girls my own age.

I grumble some more as I walk to the gates. I'm going to need to check in with the office and get my schedule.

School. Fun. Yippee.

* * * * *

Math. Science. History. English. Lunch. Home Economics. Gym.

Add new enemies to the mix, and you have my first day.

Grandpa is *so* going to get it.

* * * * *

The second day wasn't as bad. After another fight with Grandpa, he packed me off to the bus where I fumed the entire way to the school.

Waiting in my homeroom was Kimiko Hoyma. The nastiest, most evil girl that was ever spawned.

"Why, hello there, Hino-san!" Her words are polite, but her eyes are not. Until yesterday, she had been the number one girl in school.

I didn't *try* to take it from her, but just one mention of where I lived and everybody goes off on "Dark-town girl" and "Mysterious sponsor". I don't know where they got that one. I supposedly have a rich/powerful/influential sponsor to get me into such a "Prestigious" school. In truth, Grandpa talked to a few people, and had them test me. Once they found out how good my scores were, they almost begged me to join the school!

It sucks to be popular.

I sit down in my desk, carefully tossing my head just right for the watch to land behind my ear. Most people don't notice it there, but I can still hear and feel it just fine.

More students file into class, and as the bell rings, I see Hoyma glaring at me.

I ought to get one of those signs from Gao: "I can only please one person per day. Today is definitely not your day."

* * * * *

"Oh, Hino-san! Can you tell me about--"

"No! How did you do--"

"Would you like to--"

"Ladies! Perhaps if you leave her alone, since she is obviously trying to *exit* the campus..."

I stop in my struggles to get past the annoying knot of girls blocking my escape route. I take a glance to assure myself that, indeed, my savior is Hoyma. Whatever happened to trying to make me combust from her stare?

The knot of schoolgirls breaks up, and forms a circle around us. Uh-oh.

I decide to take the first shot. "What gives, Hoyma? First you're angry at me for taking something I didn't even want, now you're doing me favors. What's your angle?"

The blond girl smirks. "Angle? Why, I believe that you are overreacting, my dear. I wish nothing more than to be your friend!"

I don't like her tone. "I'll give you a better deal. Take back your popularity. Take your irritating admirers. And most especially: Take your spotlight! I agreed to come here for my grandfather's sake. Nothing more." I turn, and storm to the gates, those few in front of me melt away, leaving the group, and most especially Hoyma, stunned.

* * * * *

"So where were you today? I went up to the Shrine after school and couldn't find you." We were strolling down the main road, heading towards one of the neutral areas.

"Grandpa decided to send me to school." I growled.

"What's so bad about school?" asked Jiro.

"Never had to go to school." I mutter.

Gao spoke up from the rear. "Yep! She never did. 'Bout time she joined the rest of us in misery."

The siblings look at each other. "How did you get out of school? The government mandates it!"

I look at the ground, and keep walking. "Government can't make you do things if they think you're dead."

I can almost hear the three of them blinking in shock. "What?!"

I turn and face the three of them. Looking each in the face, I say calmly and slowly, "When I was six, during the Purge, they came and killed my family. My mother and father, killed! They-- they..." I grind to a halt. I cannot remember! Organic structure was burned and destroyed by my own flame.

Mai steps toward me, and embraces me. Rocking ever so slightly, like I remember Simand doing, she tries to comfort me. The two boys come forward and pat my shoulders, offering what sympathy they could.

Why? What was so important in me? Is my flame, my spirit, worth the death of so much?

They took my life, by taking my past.

* * * * *

The weeks passed quickly. Hoyma got her following back after I made it clear that I had no desire for such. I think that what I said to one persistent toady exemplified it:

"Listen you little idiot! Quit following me just because you hope that whatever imaginary fame I have will rub off! I don't want some brainless hanger-on just because someone made a few rumors about me! If you would be a friend, the be one for the qualities that I show, not a fable that isn't true!"

They left me alone after that.

* * * * *

"Well?" Hoyma stands over my desk, looming. "Why have you been staring at me?"

I put up my hands, trying to get her to back down. "I didn't mean anything by it. You just looked familiar, that's all."

Her eye twitches. "And we *haven't* been sharing the same class for a month now?"

I grimace. "No, no, it's just that I know I've seen someone that looks like you somewhere else."

She sits in the desk in front of mine. "I don't know where you..."

I look at her again. After she trailed off, she started staring out the window. "What's wrong?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing. It's just that... Well maybe you have."

"I'm not following."

She turns to look at me. "My parents are divorced, and recently my mother remarried and moved to dark-town, with two of my siblings."

Got it! "Cojiro and Maishu!"

She nods. "Yeah. So you know them."

I shake my head, trying to envision my two cellmates and this girl as siblings. "Never would have thought of that connection. You three are really different."

Hoyma looks at me, then looks around the room. She had cornered me just as the lunch bell had rung, and everyone else was outside enjoying the spring air.

"Do you... Do you really think that?" She is hesitant. What happened to the brash girl that is the talk of the school?

"I did..." I start. "Until just now." I lean closer and look into her eyes. "Is this the real you? Why do you hide then? What do you fear?"

"I, uh, I guess..." She looks down. "How can you be so open? Don't you know that you leave yourself open?"

I nod in agreement. "Someone once told me: "Never be afraid to show your emotions." I've lived by that since then. There have been times where I could have crumpled, hell, there *have* been times that I've crumpled, but the "me", what is myself, has persevered." I put my hand to the side of my head, fingers tracing the designs etched in the watch, and feeling time passing by. "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger."

Kimiko nods slightly. "I guess." He eyes follow my hand. "What is that? I've seen you wearing it."

"Hmm? You mean my watch?" I take the Oldtech device and unwind the chain from my hair. As the black locks fall down, I show the watch to her. "It's Oldtech, and very special to me."

She gently cradles the watch, fascinated by the sweep of time. I smile. She is captivated by the same thing I am.

I think I could get to like this girl.

* * * * *

"You didn't tell me that you had a sister!"

Mai and Jiro are shocked. "How did you find out?" Mai asks. "We hadn't told anybody!"

I smirk. "'Cause she goes to T&A! Same as I do!"

Jiro nods. "Yeah, that's right, she does, doesn't she?"

Mai punches him in the arm. "Jiro! You know perfectly well where she goes." She turns to me. "Do you know what happened?" I nod. "Well, we have another sibling, a brother that's two years older than Jiro. He's acts okay, but only when Mom, Kimiko, or me are around. If we're not there, he starts to beat up on Jiro, even if Dad's watching! He finally told me about it, and we went to Mom. When she presented the divorce to him, he blew it off, and let any of us kids that wanted to go with her. 'Ko didn't believe us, so she's still with Dad." She was pensive for a second. "I hope Motoki hasn't started hurting her..."

That was something to stomach. I resolved to ask more about it from Kimiko when I could.

* * * * *

Unfortunately, Kimiko vehemently denied any abuse, and stated with no reservations that it was all a lie on her mother's part to get away and marry someone else.

Well, That's a dead end.

I did notice that Hoyma was taking less and less pleasure from basking in her admirer's company. I wonder why?

* * * * *

"You're going to *what*?!" I almost scream.

Kimiko makes hushing gestures. "Keep it down, okay? It's nothing big! I'm just going with my brother tonight with a few of his friends. We're just going to go down to dark-town and look around."

"Listen, Kimiko, if you really want to see what dark-town is like at night, I can show you! But some of those neighborhoods are dangerous, the Gangs don't always follow the rules!" I feel like shaking some sense into her.

She waves off my offer, "Its okay, maybe some other time. Besides, I'll have three big boys looking after me." She waves and runs on home.

Why, oh, why do I have this sinking feeling that it's the boys that she needs to be afraid of?

* * * * *

"Spill it, Rei! Why did you choose to take this area? We went over it just a few days ago!" Gao is understandably unhappy. This particular area is a warren that you can lose yourself quite easily in. It was taking quite a lot of patience and teamwork just for the four of us to stay together. No one wants to patrol it, so my offer to Sai was quite unexpected.

It's also the closest area that the Hikawa Gang has that is close to neo-town.

Ever since Kimiko had told me of her plans for her little jaunt, I had a bad feeling right behind my eyes. Something was going to go horribly wrong.

I just hoped that the Hikawa tendency for miracles would help me tonight.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Mai said.

"That's why we're here." I replied. "We're going to have to stop that bad thing from happening."

They each looked at me. Then we forged ahead with new purpose.

* * * * *

My sense of hearing is very acute when I want it to be. It was for that reason that I heard the other small group, wandering aimlessly around. I surprised the others when I sped off, leaving them behind.

I don't think that they will be able to find me in time.

I run, looking for the source of the sound. Finally, I see four shadows from a solitary street lamp. I look for a place to hide as they come near, and see a water pipe above me.

I jump, and twist around, catching the solid pipe, and dropping down, so that my feet are hooked around it and I am hanging upside down.

The four shadows turn a corner, to reveal three young men, and Kimiko. One of the men looks suspiciously like Jiro. Another complains as he stubs his toe. "Yeoch! Why the hell are we here anyway? What're we looking for?"

"Yes, Motoki, it is pretty far." Kimiko says.

"Aw, I'm just looking for somebody and I heard that he lived near here." No bets on who he was looking for.

"Hey, man! My feet are tired, and I wanna have some fun!" The other guy says.

"Yeah. Whatever. Little enough fun to be had here." Motoki complains.

Kimiko suddenly perks up. "Do you hear something? Sounds like a clock..."

The three blow her off, and the one who had been silent until now speaks up. "I know a way we can have some fun. 'Specially since I bet you could scream in hear and nobody could hear you..."

The complainer perked up. "Yeah, Toki, we could have some fun." He starts eyeing Kimiko.

I'll give her this, she just realized that she's alone with three very large, very unhappy men. And she's the alternate course.

"Fine. Heh, ya know, I always wondered what you were like, 'Ko" Motoki grabs her roughly and kisses her. She struggles, bringing her knee up in a move all women know.

"YEOW!" he cries, and shoves her back against the wall. He steadies himself, then sneers at her. "You're going to pay for that, bitch."

A single, angled drop, and I am between the three and Kimiko. "Not tonight, boys. You're on Hikawa territory."

"Rei?" Kimiko cries from behind me.

The three just smirk and advance. "Looks like we'll be having two for dinner, boys." Motoki says.

He's just about to reach out for me when I plow my fist into his jaw, throwing him across the alleyway and embedding him in the wall. The other two stop for a moment, then jump me.

"Run, Kimiko! Now, dammit!"

She runs down the alley, and turns the corner. That's all the attention I can afford to spare as two brutes are on me.

A punch, a kick, a sweep. I'm keeping them busy, but Motoki decides to rejoin the fight and rams me full on. I hit the wall, and make an indention similar to his. The two henchmen grab my arms and secure me.

My head swims. I know there is something I'm missing. Surely I have enough strength to break free from these two goons. But something stops me.

Motoki brings his fist up, "I'm gonna enjoy making you suffer for--"

Confusion! Motoki is down, tackled by Gao?! Jiro is wrestling the thug that had my right arm, and the one to my left is now engaged in combat with Mai! Kimiko is beside me, helping me stand straight, talking to me, trying to get my reply.

Gao is shoved towards Jiro, throwing him off balance. It is enough that a single punch has now laid him out. Mai's arm is grabbed and twisted painfully, immobilizing her.

Motoki stands. "Well, if it isn't my runaway siblings. Didn't get enough before, so you came back to play, huh, Coj? I'm going to enjoy making you scream again."

I must do something. Anything! My friends are in danger!

U look at each of the three thugs, realizing that if they continue with what they are planning, dreams will be lost. My dream, of a peaceful life.

That will not be tolerated.

I summon my spirit, my flame, and I know that I cannot harm my friends, but I must save them. Words are rising to my lips, like the flame that is rising to my surface...

"AHSES TO ASHES!"

* * * * *

Someone is crying. I can hear, but I cannot see. Am I back with Simand? No, for I can smell burnt flesh, and feel someone holding me in their lap.

"Don't, don't die!"

Who? Kimiko! Who is dying? Who did I not save?

I crack open my eyelids, and see her face crying tears over me. "Wh-who's dying?" I whisper.

"Kimiko! You're all right! She's alive!"

Was I dying?

But that can't be. I have so much to do, so much to live for.

I will see my Dream come true.