The Journey

by Amoridere

Just read it, Too long to explain. My version of Wolf's Rain

Tokijin and the mystery of the lunar flower

Once long ago, there was a war amongst nations that took place. Many were killed, some were orphaned, and others were supposedly orphaned. Amongst those that were supposedly orphaned, there was Silver. She knew nothing of the journey she'd take or the girl whose life was ravaged by Luekemiatic cancer (Leukemia). This is the story of a brave journey, 3 spirits, tragic end, a final sacrifice and a triumph over evil.

Ch I: 2(or12, this chapter flashes back to the past) years ago…

Once there was a girl that was of an odd kind, born into a time of war and death. Her name was to be heard of after she was long dead and gone, her name was Silver. Silver was none like your typical orphan. She was not raised in or brought to an orphanage after she was abandoned. Instead, she was taken in by a nurse named Haru ('spring'), who raised her in secrecy in the hospital chapel, where she had lived carefree and completely unaware of the war that had grown chaotic. In her joy, free of pain and suffering, while someone was suffering and dying on the 3rd floor, the cancer ward. She had been in the shadows and her name is Tokijin. She had been sick with Luekemiatic cancer and it was too late to save her. She lay dying in a hospital bed and obviously would've felt her condition was being ignored. She was so sick that she needed over 100 blood transfusions a day. Her spirit was slowly leaving her limp and nearly lifeless body and she felt it. Her deteriorating condition was draining the energy from her. Silver is unaware of her as Tokijin is unaware of her. 2 years later, Tokijin's pain was growing worse and she couldn't take it any longer. With the little ounce of strength she summoned, she managed to climb out of bed (only limping a few inches) and yank the I.V. tube out of her arm. She reached for a book. It wasn't just any book. In fact, it was a spellbook. 5 minutes later…. BANG! Tokijin was thrown up against the wall of her hospital room. Blood had splattered everywhere. No one was sure of what had happened. Tokijin was moved into another hospital room. Tokijin was not surprised, considering the fact that she lost her emotions sometime ago so being near death hasn't saddened nor, frightened her. Silver has heard the blast and was easily startled but she didn't go to the 3rd floor to find out. Instead, she froze for 20 ½ minutes. 3 days later, Tokijin lost her grip on life. She didn't die because of cancer but she died for some other reason. 1 hour later…. KABOOM! The hospital was bombed. Silver mercilessly fainted as she was thrown at least 100 mls away from the scene. Tokijin's partially mutilated lifeless body remained undestroyed by the blast. But her spirit remained. Tokijin was dead and trapped on this earth. "Lunar flower." Was what she seemed to say. Upon waking up, Silver had not any clue of where she was or what had happened. Tokijin started to follow her. Silver was unaware of it, Tokijin was once again, ignored. "Where am I? I know where I'm not and that's home so where am I?" mumbled Silver. Tokijin was wondering who was Sliver but she figured she ought to find out. Silver wandered around for a little while before stopping to scan the surrounding area. Curiosity sparked, Silver wondered of how come she hasn't seen this place before. She sat down, wondering of what this place could be. Silver climbed on a hill (the only highest point in the area) to see if she could see the hospital (now in ruins) but to her dismay, she was too far away to see it. Tokijin could spot it and her lifeless body in the rubble. Tokijin may've died but she didn't feel sad or any emotion of that kind. She seemed to have some kind of attachment to this world and it was for a purpose. Silver wondered exactly which way was home considering the fact that she'd been knocked unconscious when she was caught up in the blast that which way she was thrown from was deemed uncertain. Toki couldn't tell either, since she had been dead during the whole ordeal before her departed spirit ever left her body.

Silver's legs ached as she walked. She thought she was going home but was going the wrong way. The hospital was east, she went west. Toki (short for Tokijin) followed. Silver had not known she was going the wrong way and had no sense of direction. She stopped in front of a cave that she couldn't (and didn't) see. Toki could and did see the cave. Silver had not known two sets of large eyes were watching her. She hadn't even thought the ghost of someone she had not known was following her. Tokijin was transparent and could be faintly seen in broad daylight but her voice could clearly be heard. There were two shadowy female figures that only Toki could see. The two females could not escape her glance, even when they tried to do so. Silver could not see them. Toki figured that she'd ought to find out who they were as well as Silver. The two females started to cower away, knowing that a certain someone was onto them. They disappeared into the shadows without a trace. Night fell and Silver was sound asleep but someone was still awake, Toki. Toki is completely unable to go to sleep and no longer require sleep. "Who are you?" whispered Toki.

"She has eluded capture and death." said one voice.

"Yes she has, indeed but what is she?" said another

"We'll have to find that out by morning, until then we'll be ready."

"What if she becomes even more elusive and eludes us?"

"You twit! She has to be the lunar flower that Kaeda's been searching for."

"And if she's not?"

"What do you mean?"

"She doesn't look like the lunar flower creation Kaeda's been searching for. She looks a lot different than I'd expected."

"And how is that?"

"She has silver hair and has emerald eyes. The lunar flower creation has the hair color that resembles the color of the lunar flowers petals and red eyes and that is how. I don't think she is the lunar flower"

The two talked without thinking there was a witness. Toki heard them and despite being dead, she is more aware of the surrounding area than Silver. The two females continued to debate on whether or not if Silver is what or who they think she is. Toki watched without regard of what they were doing and/or what they were saying. Morning came and Silver awoke to figuring out that she was not where she slept but to be bound in chains. "Hello, lunar flower. Well, you are a true mistress of disguise!" said the first. "What do you want with me?" asked Silver. "You've eluded capture for so long and it's the end of line, Cheza (chez-ah)!" said the second.

"That's not even my name and I am not this 'Cheza' you speak of!"

"Don't lie to us! You know what we're after!"

"I know nothing of what you speak of!"

"Liar! You're lying!"

"I'm not lying! I'm only speaking truth!"

"You are the chalice! The lunar flower creation that Kaeda's been searching for!"

"I know what a chalice is. What exactly is the lunar flower?"

"WHAT?"

The two females were shocked to know that Silver was not who they thought she was "Will you reveal thy names?" asked Silver.

"Our sincerest apologies. Our names are Kimi and Kimigayo. You see, we are identical twins but we look or do nothing alike."

"How is that?"

"I'm a blondie and she's a brunette. She's the cheeriest one and I'm not so cheery. I'm blue-eyed and she's magenta-eyed. I'm absent minded and is also the brains of our family and She's the twit no one can agree with and isn't very smart when comes to certain things in this family. The only way we're the same is being conceived and born girls and sharing a date of birth and the same mother. Any more questions?"

"Who's 'Kaeda'?"

"SILENCE! She's the one who shall never be named."

"Really?"

"Yes, she's the queen who put everyone through Hell."

"Oh?"

"Yes it's true and that's not all."

"What else?"

"She's a toddler killer, an infant slaughterer, a child strangler, a witch, a poisoner, a murderer, and an assassin."

"Oh dear, is that also true?"

"Tis true! All of it is true and you haven't heard the bombshells yet!

"Yesterday, sometime in the morning, she slaughtered one of her own children and almost drained all the blood from her limp, pale, and lifeless body (which waspartially drained of blood)."

"To destroy the body, she bombed the place where she was staying for Leukemiatic cancer, which has no known cure."

"Where was that?"

"The hospital on 3rd floor, the cancer ward and it is the same the hospital you once lived in."

"I wasn't aware of her."

"You lived in the chapel and she's been in the cancer ward since she 11 and never came back home to play again."

"That is very heartbreaking."

"The most heartbreaking thing is that she's lost her emotions and she never laughed or cried."

They let her go and sent her on her way but Silver came back. "I have nowhere else to go." replied Silver. "Then you shall stay." replied Kimi and her sister.

"Do you know her?"

"She was once our playmate but we never figured out her name. We called her 'Edojikin' or 'Edo' after a goldfish breed, since she wasn't allowed to reveal her name and she mostly lived in mystery. She never spoke. Her voice seemed to've been taken away or she never spoke for some other reason."

"Her suffering was ended the worst was possible."

"How did you get this information?"

"We are psychic sisters and we tell fame and fortune and her fate came sudden."

"What about mine?"

"When you get the chance to bring Kaeda down to her knees, make her beg for her life, and possibly kill her,….. YOU DO IT!"

"I do it?"

"YOU DO IT!"

"Why?"

"You and only you can end this war and her life."

"We must warn you. You see, our home in 2 years time, will be destroyed. We must warn you of Kaeda's temper if something in her plot doesn't go right or it's not how it's planned,….she can be a real hellion."

"What's that?"

"Something you dreadfully don't want to know and it shall cost you dearly if you truly want to know."

"Okay then."

"In two years time, you must leave and never return nor should you look back for something sinister will come out."

"Okay."

"What is your name, exactly?"

"Silver."

"Oh, 'Gin' ('Silver' in Japanese, pronounced 'Ge-in') so that is your name."

"No, it's Silver, not 'Gin'."

"That's what your name is in this language."

"Why did she commit filicide?"

" 'Edojikin' was in 'her way' and she wanted to 'dispose' of her. Edojikin was her adopted daughter that she hadn't even wanted but adopted her and enslaved her only to make her death even more miserable as it was in life. She died suffering as her 'mother' watched."

"Your Kikyo ('homecoming') shall be welcomed when thou shall return and Edojikin can rest in peace."

"How sinister is she?"

"Extremely sinister and her presence is alarming to those who see her."

"Is she ugly?"

"We've never seen her without her youthful appearance but we do assume she is older than she appears so don't be fooled and if you do, the easier it is for her to catch you in her deathtrap."

"How does she sound?"

"At 1st, she may sound sweet but thou shall not be fooled as she nearly lured many children to their graves had their mothers not have warned them."

"How many lives had she taken?"

"Our guess is 3 but there could've been more. The known killings are: Edo (Edojikin), Ri ('Lee' in Japanese), and Bonsai. Each are 3 of her 5 children.2 are sons, the third is her daughter she recently killed. The other 2 she killed sometime before Edo's murder. They can't rest in peace until Kaeda meets her end, her slow and painful end."

"What happens when she is killed?"

"Momotoko shall be free as Kaeda has imprisoned her sometime before Edo's end."

"Who's she?"

"She's our sister, we're not sure if she is our older sister but we do know she is our sister and peace cannot be restored without her freedom."

"Didn't Kaeda have any more children?"

"She had two. That she has spared. Burousu(Burr-ro-zu, means 'blood' in Japanese. This character has blood colored eyes) and Mie (Me-ay). Mie was abandoned sometime, about 2 months, after birth, 9 ½ years before she killed Ri, she's the older sister. Burousu was abandoned about a week after birth and was put into the care Shizue (She-zu-ay or She-zu-ee, 'Sis' in Japanese), who had lived with her far away, she's the younger sister, She was abandoned after Edo went to stay in the cancer ward. The fate of the remaining 2 remains uncertain, as she had abandoned them. One was left to die in the ruins the water region, the other was left with a substitute mother in the land of ice and snow."

"How did she kill Ri and Bonsai?"

"Ri was killed by drowning. Bonsai was killed strangulation (Though, he would've died of a heart attack or stroke as he was extremely obese in life and often had too much brain damage due to a brain defect). Edo had been killed by losing so much blood on the account of her arms, shoulder and throat wounds (which were slash wounds from a certain blade, in other words: she was impaled.)."

"Did Edo suffer?"

"She had but most of her nerves were damaged while trying to heal herself, which involved using dark magic, as she was slowly killing herself. Due to this, she barely felt pain but her wounds, she had felt, as they were being afflicted, thus she died feeling pain. She died and will no longer be feeling pain. Her murder was particularly cruel for she may've been paralyzed as her most of nerves were destroyed from using dark magic that only made her condition worse."

"That murderous mother must have one befuddled mind if she mercilessly kills 3 of her children and heartlessly abandons the younger 2. Mothers are meant to love not hurt. I've never had a mother to care for me but I know a bad mother when I see one."

Toki was listening but she was as she was, a silent spirit. She and her two brothers lingered, listening to their ongoing conversation continuing into the firelit night.

"Will she avenge our deaths?" asked Ri, the oldest of the 3 ghosts that died at their mother's hands.

"She may." answered Toki the youngest of the 3.

"Oh, she must." said Bonsai, the middle of the 3 (They are arranged in this order because Ri is 1 year older than Bonsai and Bonsai is 2 years older than Toki, making her the youngest).

"We'll hope." whispered Ri.

"Yes, let's hope."

"What's 'hope'?"

"Our remaining comfort, Ruby eyes."

"Bon-bon (short for Bonsai), she doesn't feel emotions like we do, instead, she doesn't have any emotions to feel, which makes her more easier to agree with as she agrees without arguing( arguments would usually need emotions). Mother forced her to be this way by beating her w'enever she ever she showed any kind of emotion (usually anger or sadness) and thus Toki lost her emotions altogether."

"Ohhhh, I see. Ruby eyes don't have feelings."

"Stop calling her that, Bon-Bon!"

"She has ruby colored eyes, Ri."

"So?"

"That's why I call her that and she can't care that I call her that nickname."

"You I'n't nothin' but a fat (Bon-bon was, in fact, very chubby) moron, who uses the fact that Toki doesn't have any emotions to your own advantages."

"Ri, you do know you have an extremely short name, do you? Why would Mother name you a name with only 2 letters, you do know that is a short name do you?"

"Why are you asking that? Surely you can't find a nickname for me."

"I did, Cat eyes(Ri has eyes that resemble that of a cat's)."

"I know I have 'cat eyes', Bon-bon, you befuddled brained no good brother of ours and stop giving us nicknames based on our eye color."

Toki watched as her brothers argued continually over nicknames and things but she had no particular reason to watch. Her emotionless eyes sat staring at the two feuding brothers, she couldn't stop them, as she had no emotions to protest their arguments. Silver and her newfound friends curled up for a silent slumber. Time passed, the 3 child spirits sat on the steep hill that was overlooking the prairie. They knew they were as they were, restless spirits that have a certain attachment to the world of the living and cannot pass over, unless their deaths are avenged.

"Ri, no matter what I say, I don't want to be separated from you and Ruby eyes and what will happen if our deaths aren't avenged?" asked Bon-bon.

"I guess we'll tarry in this world as kodama (a spirit in Japanese folklore that inhabit certain trees and commonly lives in certain forests, little is known of these creatures)."

"I don't think we can change form into a kodama as we aren't, my guess, sacred creatures."

"We'll just be restless spirits as we could drive our mother to suicide."

"How long would that take, Ri?"

"About a couple years, Bon-bon."

"I was expecting a little less, Ri."

"I knew you were, Bon-bon."

"Can Ruby eyes see?"

"She probably can but her eyes are always blank, like that of a doll's."

"I know we're dead but will we pass over."

"I don't know, Bon-bon."

"I guess we're trapped here."

"You could say that, since we died miserably and continued to haunt this miserable place."

"I've guessed we'll be lonely here."

"True."

"I hope she'll avenge our deaths."

"Me, too."

The child spirits were perhaps lonely, as they were spirits trapped in a world from whence they can't escape until their deaths have been avenged. "Ri, our deaths were premature and they can't go unavenged, Kaeda (they no longer consider or call her 'Mother') must die." said Bon-bon without further a due.

"I know your wish, Bonsai."

"Iie (I-ay, 'no' in Japanese)!"

"Hai (hi, 'yes' in Japanese), watashi ('I' in Japanese) know, Bon-bon."

"Domo arigato ('thank you') for appreciating and knowing my wish."

"Yokoso ('welcome')."

"Gomen nasai('sorry') for making fun of your name, Ri."

"It's alright."

Toki, who had come into view, interrupted their conversation. "O-genki desuka, Toki?" said Ri, as he saw her. She said nothing. Her eyes were partially open and blank as usual. "I see." said Bon-bon. "This place shall be obliterated in ni ('two') year's time." said Ri after having been eavesdropping.

"True."

"She must sell the shinigami (Japanese grim reaper) her soul!"

"Iki con yi dokoro maskade (mos-ka-day), Akai (or aka, 'crimson', reference to Toki's eye color being ruby, crimson, or a bright shade of red) eyes."

"O-negai shimasu, Bon-bon. O-negai!'

"She never comes to her senses, Ri!"

"She can't. Say you are gomen nasai!"

(Ch. I ended here so whether or not Bonsai apologized is lost)

Ch. II: 2 years later…..

As the soul sisters predicted, 2 years later, their home was going to be destroyed and it was setting upon them very fast. "Gin, you must flee this very moment!" screeched Kimigayo.

"What's the matter, Kimigayo? Is something wrong?" asked a 12 year-old Silver, unaware of what was happening.

"You must flee!"

"Flee?"

"It's been 2 years since you came and our home is to be destroyed this very minute and so will you if you don't flee!"

"What about you?"

"JUST GO!"

Doing as she was told, Silver ran away and didn't look back. BOOOOOOOOM! An explosion erupted, Kimi and Kimigayo were never to be seen again (as they were obviously destroyed during the bombing). Silver continued to run until she came upon a terrifying place. It looked the realm of misery. The place was much sinister than spoken of. It was the fire region from whence Kaeda controlled as queen (she doesn't live there). The ground was hot. The clouds were black and the sky was red. Geysers spat smoke and fire. Hellhounds howled their ghostly howls. Spirits moaned. What is this place? thought Silver, knowing the place she was in was very horrifying to stay. The child-spirits followed her in secrecy as they floated behind her. They knew she must not be seen or the hounds will surely kill her. "Ri, we must help her, for if she is seen, she'll be…."

"We'll work our magic and neither of us will be seen."

All hands of the child spirits grabbed Silver and made her transparent. To keep her this way, they must not let go of her. To keep a person transparent, ghosts are to never let go, as they have certain powers. Silver had walked on, without ever knowing the hounds won't see her because she is transparent and that is more like invisibility. They stayed latched on until she was she was far enough away from the fire region. They let go, Silver was back into view. "Yokoso, Gin." said their voices. The sound of their voices startled Silver. "Who said that?" demanded Silver.

The voices said: "Us."

"Who's 'us'?"

"We."

"I can't see you."

"You will see us when we come into view."

"What are you?"

"You'll see what we are but you may be afraid of us."

"What are your names? There are more you, since you said 'us' and that means there is more of you."

"Our names are, Tokijin, Bonsai, and Ri. 2 of us are boys, Toki is girl."

The spirits came into view. "You're ghosts?" asked Silver.

"Yes, we are. Don't be afraid we're only the spirits of Kaeda's children that she killed." said Ri.

"Who's Ri."

"I am. I'm the oldest and was the healthier in life. I died wearing a red imperial kimono with the 'blaze' symbol on the back. Kaeda killed me 1st and I'm her 2nd child." answered Ri.

"Who's Bonsai?"

"I am. I'm the middle and was the most obese in life. I died wearing a blue imperial kimono with the 'brother' symbol on the back. Kaeda killed me 2nd and I'm her 3rd child." answered Bonsai

"Who's Edo?"

"I am. I'm the youngest and was the sickest in life. I died wearing a pink kimono(which became bloodstained and torn) with ruby red butterflies on it. My name is Tokijin not Edojikin. 'Edojikin' was what my playmates called me. Kaeda killed 3rd and last. I never really had any emotions. I'm her 4th child." answered Toki.

"Okay. How did you all die?"

"I was drowned." answered Ri.

"I was strangled." answered Bonsai.

"I was impaled." answered Toki.

"You are our friend, Gin."

"How is that?"

"You are our friend through destiny."

"Okay."

"You are to avenge our deaths by killing our mother, Kaeda and she must suffer the way we suffered… in DEATH! Her death shall be slow and painful."

"Her death can't be merciful?"

"Iie! It mustn't be merciful! She needs to die miserably and if she doesn't, we'll be trapped in this world forever."

"Uh….."

"She doesn't even deserve to live. We had the right to live and she's taken that right away! She must die and she won't be able to hurt anyone else again. "

"Okay, Ri. I'll get justice for you and your siblings."

They continued on until they stumbled upon, yet, another strange place. There was a building that appeared to've been a weather beaten building. The surrounding area was no better. The ground appeared barren and almost had no plants growing. "Gin, if we are seen, the hag will get us, well uh, erm, you that is." said Ri.

"Who's the 'hag'?"

"Giantess."

"What's that?"

"A female giant."

"Is she terrifying?"

"Yes and if you want to live, you have to beat her in 3 challenges."

"Why would she challenge me?"

"No one can set foot here without being challenged and it's to show that she is the superior one."

"She doesn't have any real powers, does she?"

"I don't think."

"Good and I am a more than unlikely opponent."

As when things seemed okay, there was a loud roar and rumbling footsteps that roared in like thunder. A large woman came into view. Silver had no clue of what she should do. She had frozen like ice.

"Oh me, oh my, such a puny girl! So small so inferior! Hah! You'll never beat me! You are so tiny that I could stomp you flat! How foolish it was for you to ever set foot here, Stupid girl!" scoffed the giantess. The words were unpleasant to hear and Silver felt infuriated at giantess's unkind remarks referring to her size and status.

"Listen up, Hag! I am not dimwitted and I ain't that short! You got that, Hag?" said an infuriated Silver. The giantess was stunned at Silver's spunky remark, for none had spoke to her in such a way and that made her very angry

"Brat, you mind your tongue!" hissed the giantess.

"I have every right to speak, you old hag!"

"Shut up, you illiterate brat!"

"Old woman!"

"Why I never!"

"You ain't any better, as I'm fairest."

"Liar! Liar! You can't be fairest."

"I am the chosen one to defeat Kaeda and I shall defeat you! I may even spare your life, if you're lucky."

"We'll see who wins the three challenges."

"If I win, you let me go on my path and never challenge anyone else, as I shall shame you."

"Albeit, let the challenges begin!"

The challenges began. Ri, Bonsai, and Toki watched. Bonsai's hopes were extremely high. Ri hoped the giantess die first. Toki's mind was blank as usual. The 1st challenge was to string a bow and shoot an arrow at a target. The Giantess's arrow was flimsy and poorly made, while Silver's was perfectly made. The Giantess shot first and missed. Bonsai laughed, saying , "The witch has bad aim." Silver shot second and hit. The 2nd challenge was to race. The giantess ran but not swift as she was not nimble. Silver ran fastest. The 3rd challenge was to call on at least 5 or 7 elements of nature. The giantess began to chant the names but failed to call them on. Silver began to chant the names. "Fire, Blaze, lightning, Thunder, water, wind, Ice, Earth….." Silver continued to chant and she succeeded in calling them on. The giantess was beat. Toki had her eyes on something else and it was a certain someone. This someone seemed a little strange. She had an eerie feel to her. Toki figured she'd find out that this 'girl-or-shroud' (she was wearing some kind of robe.) was. "Hag, reveal thy name!" said Silver.

"My name is Aoi (Ah-oy, 'blue' in Japanese. This character has blue eyes.). Aoi Kaikyo. I run an orphanage."

"That's nice to know but I'll be on my way."

"Where to and what for?"

"I'm on a quest in search of the lunar flower, you incompetent witch."

"What are these forces that help you along?"

As Silver was going to speak, Bonsai looked at her sternly. Silver knew that mustn't reveal the spirits or it could lead to misfortune, if not anything else. "I am these forces." answered Silver.

"I must come with you."

"You can't and it is my journey."

"I know that but you are a child (Silver is about 12 years old)."

"You can't come."

"Why is that?"

"You're an old hag and you're useless."

"However so?"

"You're a barbarian."

Then the girl-of-shroud spoke. "Why can't she come, is she not worthy of thee?" spoke the unknown figure.

"Reveal thy name!" commanded Silver.

"My name is Cheza. Hibakusha Cheza. Is she not useful enough? What's your name?"

"Silver but I am also called Gin. Just Gin. Your friend here will cause my untimely end if I let her come along. And you're this 'Cheza' the fate sisters confused me with 2 years ago."

"Then let me come. I've been through the lands a few times, I could aid you but you also have to aid me, as I am somewhat nearly blind (her vision is somewhat blurred). I'm artificially created out of something."

Aoi was enraged that Silver knew her failed motive. They departed the very next day. As they were on the path, something evil was stirring and she was as she was, Kaeda. Kaeda was an evil queen and a murderous mother. She was an opportunistic killer that had a reason to be feared. She had ruthlessly killed 3 of her children and had abandoned the other two, one older, one younger. She peered into her crystal ball and discovered that she was not very pleased with something. She knew Silver could not complete this journey without a fight. She was thinking of a way to catch Silver and her friends off guard. "This shall not prevail." whispered Kaeda

(Ch II ends here)

Ch III: The journey.

As they continued, Silver distrusted Cheza but didn't show it. Cheza was tied to Silver to keep her from wandering aimlessly about, as her vision is somewhat diminished. "Alright, Cheza, you know the deal, I help you but you have to help Me." said Silver. Toki wondered whether or not Cheza maybe the lunar flower creation. Ri and Bonsai were thinking the same and were glad that Cheza hadn't noticed their presence. They continued through narrow pathways, thick forests and, tall grass plains. It didn't seem long, when they came to the ruins of what was once the fogbound water region. "Cheza, you know the deal, where are we and what is this fogbound place?" asked Silver.

"We're in what's left of the water region."

"Oh?"

"That's where we are and I'm starting to voices."

"I hear them too. I taste sea salt in the air."

"The water realm is near sea and was known for fish imports. There are some docks here."

The voices continued and then there were tapping footsteps in a rhythmic tapping. The voice sounded female. A female figure came into view. She looked rather joyful about something. "Hello, how are you? I am fine. Yokoso to my home, I don't get very many guests but I am glad you came." said the female.

"What's your name?" asked Silver

"My name is Mie but I'm commonly called 'Muru'. Yours?"

"Silver and this is Cheza and how long have you been living here?"

"Since I was two months old, I assume."

"Why haven't you left here?"

"I don't know."

"Muru, are you even married?"

"I'm still a virgin (meaning she was never married, nor had children)."

"How long have you been like this?"

"I guess 24 ½ years (she was 24 ½ years old)."

"What do you do?"

"I'm an oracle dancer. I foretell fate and forthcoming events and I can also see into the past."

"Who raised you?"

"I don't know."

"I see. What will my future be?"

"You will live, have several reincarnated children before your mate has died and before you give birth to your final three reincarnated children, 30 years after this journey has ended, after all the events and several years after, you'll die peacefully of old age after your final great-grandchild is born, your future is bright."

"Cheza's future?"

"Her life will end when her potent blood has been spilled, thus killing her slowly, as she is dying, she says her final words and will turn back into her original form from whence she was created from, as she had sacrificed herself, her future is dim."

"She will die long before I reach old age?"

"Yes, and it will happen and we all will be freed through Cheza's sacrifice. But Momotoko was captured because of what she knows."

"The fate sisters never told me this but what is a 'lunar flower'?"

"It was once a sacred, mystical, and rare flower. In order to hide it forever, it was reincarnated and created into something else, during an alchemy experiment, about 120 ½ years ago, when it was created and what it was created into was unknown."

"I see. What is Momotoko?"

"A young love and good will yosei (Japanese fairy) that was captured because she knew something of the lunar flower. If the lunar flower is not found in time, it'll be all over for us all."

The child spirits heard everything that they were saying and knew what they knew that the lunar flower must be found and the journey to peace and purity could not end, until Kaeda was killed and their premature deaths were avenged. "Life is short." said Toki.

"Too short and our lives were violently cut short and we all suffered during our deaths." answered Ri

"I remember the fading light of the orange lantern." said Bonsai

"I remember it becoming so dark and my throat aching and it becoming tight." said Ri

"I remember the stream of blood dripping from my mouth as I coughed." said Toki.

"Our bodies are cold and stiff from death."

"True."

"When our deaths are avenged, we'll pass over and Toki will reclaim her stolen emotions."

Tears fell from Toki's eyes, she didn't feel sad and she wasn't crying. She missed (if she had emotions at this time) staying in an orphanage, where she truly belonged. Her ghostly silverish-black hair flowed in the wind. Her glowing pale skin could be seen clearly in the night. Toki was thinking of something. Ri figured he belonged in an orphanage. Bonsai wished the same. Toki and her brothers wanted to live again. Cheza knew her fate would be death when the journey came to an end and she was willing to except it, as she lived for an extremely long time. She knew as she was dying, she would reveal her secret. They settled down into the night. Silver knew that at age 42, she'll have her final child, become widowed, and many years later, die peacefully of old age, while Cheza will die when the journey comes to end with a final fight with Kaeda. Kaeda knew she must thwart their attempt to end her life. Momotoko's life hung in the balance of the Great War. She remained imprisoned in Kaeda's dark dungeon. She still waited to be free. Kaeda stood peering into her mirror, she wondered if her youthful appearance will keep up until death, knowing her forthcoming fate. Ri, Bonsai, and Toki were waiting for their killer's death. Silver was waiting to find a lunar flower. Each was waiting for their final destiny. The next morning seemed all right but it wasn't, instead, Mie knew what she must do. "Gin, Cheza, we must go underground, danger is among us!" said Mie and with that she took them by the hands and lead them down a well-hidden passageway, Ri, Bonsai, and Toki followed. Once everyone was in, the door shut automatically and they were sealed in, no one could get in and until the danger has passed, no one was to ever come out. The tunnel was lit through candlelight that continued to flicker.

"Muru, where are we going?" asked Silver

"My danger shelter and it's the only safest place we could go." answered Mie

"What made you want to bring us down here?"

"If I was to be safe, then my new friends were to be safe."

Ri, Bonsai, and Toki couldn't be harmed, as easily as they could in life. If anything were to try to harm them, it would be no affect, as the attacker would go right through them, as they can walk through solid objects.

"I feel a yurei's (or rei a Japanese ghost) presence." said Mie. The spirits knew what she meant and they knew she had psychic powers and could feel their presence.

"I can't understand." replied Cheza.

"I have psychic powers."

(Ch III ends here)

Ch IV: The quietest baby and the kidnapped nursery maid

They remained underground for a long period of time until the danger passed. "What was that?" asked Silver.

"The crimson ninja attack." answered Mie.

"What's that?"

"A ninja attack squad named Akai. This attack squad raids this land in search for survivors to either enslave or kill. I know when they come and I know when they go. I am desperate to leave this land or my fate shall be sealed. We must leave this land before it's too late."

"If we don't escape?"

"We die."

They gang gathered every supply they could think of and they got on a boat and paddled far enough from the water realm. The voyage seemed rather long, as they were going across the sea. After 4 hours of sailing, they finally got to land. They docked their boat. They continued on a dirt road. The roadsides were half full of graves that belonged to victims of war. They continued to walk. Cold air blew, Silver felt it and started to know where they were going but she wasn't sure on where whether or not they were going. "Muru, where are we going?" asked Silver.

"The land of snow and ice. Snow region." answered Mie, questioning whether or not the inhabitants there will take them as enemies or allies. Ri wondered of what his older sister (she's Kaeda's 1st child, she's older than Ri because she was born 9 ½ years before he was) had in mind. Snow fell, Silver draped on her cloak, Mie put on her hood, and Cheza wrapped in herself in a snow shawl.

"Muru, does it always snow here?" asked Silver.

"Yuki no kuni ('land of snow') is where it always snows and it almost never ever stops. We must beware of the dangers that will befall us." said Mie.

"What are they?"

"Blizzards, sharp ice, and the malevolent but can be benevolent yuki-onna ('snow women' that lure people to their deaths but in this case the only danger is that they control ice and snow and use this ability to their advantages and hibernate whenever necessary) named Shizue, she's the queen of the snow."

"Why is she called a 'yuki-onna' ?"

"She has the power to control snow and ice and could (and obviously would) kill us if we were to make her upset."

"Can't you beat her with something?"

"You need fire and that could surely get us out of her clutches, fire is their weakness and will make them retreat but this is only a temporary weapon and doesn't work effectively because the flame will go out, and because most yuki-onna can't be weakened by fire, once the yuki-onna has finished with a cytogenetic slumber (a hibernation stage)."

"They go dormant?"

"Yes, usually for 1,000 years or so in caves but this is not always necessary as they rarely leave the land of snow. Their sleeping caves entrances are sealed with ice."

"I hear a noise."

"I do too, we must hide."

Silver, Cheza, and Mie hid in a burrow and covered the entrance with snow. The noise sounded like a 'ROOO! ROOO!' and ended in a loud 'WAR-HOOORF!' The noise sounded like the howl of a wolf or some other canine that appeared to've been injured and in pain or was dying. They feared for their very lives knowing if that was a tracker-dog sounding an alarm to them being intruders, the outcome could end in bloodshed. Time passed, the howling came to sudden 'NEIGHNKKK!' Something was either being strangled, choking on sharp ice, or being hung and was obviously begging for forgiveness from executor the only way they could. Silver couldn't help herself, or curiosity, so she dug even deeper. Cheza and Mie couldn't stop her in time before she dug deep and stumbled face first into a well-hidden nest of some sort and they had just realized that they were on top of the entrance. They lightly climbed down and knew they had stumbled into a nest full of wiggling bundles. "What are those things?" asked Silver

"My guess, offspring wrapped in blankets. Judging by this many bundles, she could've reproduced over 30+ times to produce this many bundles." answered Mie

"How does she reproduce ?"

"Yuki-onna takes men in and marries them and once they are pregnant, they cause their husbands to leave or their husbands choose to leave them thus their mates die in blizzards?"

"Why is that?"

"They need to be married, in order to breed."

The bundles start to make noises, they sound like the cries of infants (except one, as it was still sleeping). They were crying for their mother or their nursery maid. Ri knew what babies did when they were in distress and the babies were obviously interpreting them as enemies and was alerting whoever was caring for them. The sound of footsteps grew louder and louder as they were drawing nearer and nearer. "Halt, don't move. Don't harm the babies or I shall report to my mewsteriz(this character is about 4 years old and can't pronounce certain things) that you are hurting them!" said the tiny little girl. Silver was rather confused to see a 4 year-old as a nursery maid, in fact, that was even more befuddling than it seemed, as there were so many babies that not even Silver could manage. As far as Mie knew, she could squash the little girl flat if she were to've sat on her.

"Give us another command like that, I'll sit on you and you'll be squashed flat." said Mie.

"Oh, please don't hurt the babies. Please don't." said the shaking 4 year-old.

"Are you really the nursery maid?"

"Well, um,…. urm,…. yes."

"Why were you outside, if you are supposed to be looking after them?"

"I was playing outside."

"You look like you're 4 years old."

"I'm like their older sister."

"How do you do that?"

"You shut-up."

"I'll stomp on you, if you tell me to shut-up again."

"What is your name?"

"Mie. Your name?"

"Burou (short for 'Burousu')."

"Burou?"

"Yes, Burou."

"I see.

"Don't hurt the babies."

"I won't."

"Your word?"

"My word is what I am giving (meaning: I promise)."

Burou looked somewhat like Mie but Mie didn't know that she even had 4 younger siblings. Her hair was sleek black and was tied into a messy braid-bun (buns made up of a braid that's been wrapped around twice and meet at the center of the bun). Her eyes were blood red (mahogany red). She had a small zigzag scar in her nose. She wore a blue kimono and was wearing a thick coat over it. Toki immediately recognized her as her younger sister from 4 years before. "We must be going now." said Silver as polite as she could and trying to hide the fact she was taking one of the babies (as she had picked out a favorite) She put the quietest baby (the one that hadn't cried and slept through the event) in her bag, concealing it from sight. No one knew she was taking one of the babies. I guess the yuki-onna never counts her babies and surely won't be missing this one, as she will be having more and besides, this one is a runt. thought Silver. Silver's thoughts were correct, the queen of the snow surely wouldn't count her children for anything. The mother hadn't returned for 2 hours, Burou was asleep from exhaustion. Silver took the chance and put Burou in a sack while she was sleeping. The blizzard stopped, Mie, Cheza, Silver, and the child spirits quietly left the land of snow, taking Burou and the sleeping baby with them. When they were far enough away, the stolen child started to wake and whimper. Mie became an ounce winced alarmed. She turned to glance at Silver and didn't seem so happy that the sound was coming from Silver's bag. "Silver, hand it over." said Mie, in a displeased tone. Silver handed it over. Mie stared wide-eyed at her finding. "You've got some explaining." said Mie.

"I know, I know, Mie but this one is my favorite and she didn't look like the other babies and I've even given her a name." answered Silver.

"Alright, so tell me, Why'd did you take the baby anyway?"

"I officially decided she was my new best friend and she didn't look like the yuki-onna's other children and besides the mother won't miss her, she already has so many."

"How didn't she look like the other babies."

"She didn't have snow white skin or the darkest black hair, instead she looked a normal baby."

"I see that and I am clearly aware of the fact she is a runt."

"We'll work together taking care of her, you'll her love she's your own, Mie."

"You do know how hard it is to care for an infant, do you?"

"Protecting Cheza is even harder."

"I know that but Cheza isn't an infant."

"True but Cheza is somewhat blind and you may not have children any time in your lifetime."

Mie gave it some thought. She glanced at the infant for sometime and continued to think. She knew she hadn't married and may not be married and bear children. She thought for a moment and came to her decision. "What's her name?" asked Mie.

"I named her 'Akai' (Ah-ky) because she has red hair." answered Silver

"No, 'Akaine' (ah-ky-nay), Akai doesn't make half sense and did you bring anyone else?"

"Burou."

"Why?"

"We need a nursery maid."

"I'll care for the infant, you'll care for Cheza and Burou."

They continued on. Ri didn't see why the baby had to come. Bonsai thought stealing was wrong but the yuki-onna had enough children and he figured she wouldn't miss one of them. Toki knew (or thought) that Akaine wasn't the yuki-onna's real child but was, in fact, an orphaned child, like she once was. Kaeda watched and wondered what she should do about them. Momoto (short for Momotoko) felt an ounce hopeless but remained optimistic that she'd be freed. Ri, Bonsai, and Toki scanned the surrounding area. The night was quiet and the air was warm. Toki stood alone remembering how life was like before she was adopted out. She has no recollection of her real parents. In life, before she was dying, her hair was a sleek black, her eyes were bright red, she was as white as snow, and she was very pretty before her hair turned silverish-black from an experiment that her mother conducted that got her sick with leukemia (it was a radioactive experiment that involved her as a guinea pig and caught leukemia from the radiation poisoning). She remembered it all and her tears began to fall but she wasn't crying. Ri remembered how happy he was before his mother grew power hungry. Bonsai remembered he could run as fast as Ri before his mother decided to 'fatten' him up. Toki remembered the horrific experiment like it was yesterday (flashback):

It was the beginning of the afternoon and I was shackled and brought into a large room. I knew I would suffer this very moment. After the1st 5 minutes, the lever was pulled down. The heat stung. I felt weak. It lasted 1-hour and a half. Had I died, I would've been dying slowly. I grew drowsy. I collapsed to my knees. I couldn't protest the abuse. I knew I'd be dead within a few years. It was over. I was cruelly dragged out. My white blood cells were prematurely multiplying without dying. I went outside and glanced at the moon, I wished that someday she would no longer live and that our deaths were to be avenged. I went to visit their graves, the boys I came to know, as brothers were gone. They died sometime before the experiments began. I fainted at their graves. That was my last time there. I knew I'd be with them in death.

Her flashback ended. She knew they've died in vain and they mustn't go unavenged. "Burousu rein ('blood rain'), chimaera's pain." She said. She had a secret that she would have to reveal in death. Her words lingered in the wind. She couldn't be silenced. There was no light in her eyes. Her voice continued to linger

(Ch IV ends here)

Ch. V: Toki's secret

Silver didn't know how Toki was in life, so when they settled and made camp that night. "Toki, Ri, Bonsai, what were exactly you in life?" asked Silver

"I was once a happy child that lived a carefree life until Mother became envious of the nobles." answered Ri.

"You, Bonsai?"

"I was once as fast as Ri but Mother decided to 'fatten' me."

"Toki?"

"….."

"Toki?"

"She doesn't speak much."

"Toki?"

"Hmm?"

"You and only you."

"I…. was…. a…..double chimaera, I was combined with the soul of a fox and my parents were two different things of different species, thus the two combined."

"That's unheard of."

"It is unheard of but when I was adopted out to her, she didn't know. I've been combined with a fox since birth. On full moon nights I would resume my chimaera (not her true) form snow white fox with grayish black hair going down the back to the tail."

"Were you defused?"

"I'm fused to the core but this was attempted."

"I see."

"I'm the victim of cruel experiments."

"How long have you been hiding this?"

"I do not know."

"You've been hiding you true form?"

"I'm not sure if that is or was my true form."

"Who are your parents?"

"Ayeme (I-ah-mae, 'iris')."

"Is she your mother?"

"I don't know."

"She has almost no recollection of her birth parents."

"Why not?"

"She's an amnesiac and she would've died anyway."

"Why is that?"

"She wasn't really supposed to live past 3 years of age because of her 'problem'."

"What was that?"

"She was severely anemic. At times she would bleed and lose blood by the cupfuls to bucketfuls. Her life was miserable and euthanasia(mercy killing) wasn't much to end her suffering, since she died slow and painfully."

"I see."

"We died separately and Toki deserves a proper burial."

"If I can't keep this promise that I am to make then let my life be taken."

For the first time Toki's emotions started to return but slowly. "I love you Onee-san (big sister, despite the fact Toki is supposedly 2 or 3 years older than Silver) and you will always be my sister." said Toki. Ri was stunned to hear Toki say 'love' and she hadn't said this in awhile nor has shown affection. This was the only emotion that Toki could feel. Toki's eyes began to glow their ghostly red. "Will thy keep their promise?" asked Bonsai.

"If I can't then albeit, let me die." answered Silver, swearing upon her life if she can't keep her promise to the ghost siblings she came to know as friends.

(Ch. V ends here)

Ch. VI: Silver's rescue and Mie's decision

Silver didn't expect to be kidnapped and that was what happened. Silver had unfortunately decided to search food alone, after Burou ate the remaining food (this had happened but this wasn't figured out until now) but decided to search without second thoughts. She ventured far enough away that if she screamed for assistance, she'd have to scream extremely loud. While she was searching for food, a voice rang out: "Haha! A perfect bride for me!" This sort of thing would've made a woman (or girl) feel an ounce shocked but flattered. There was the loud stamping of a horse , Silver looked up but it was too late, the unknown male grabbed her by the arm and put her on the large ghostly black horse and rode away with her and didn't think anyone saw him but there was a witness. Toki watched him carry her off and decided that she and her brothers would find Silver and try to bring her back.

Meanwhile, Mie wondered where Silver could be and decided to look for her. Cheza couldn't help but wonder what may've happened when they found one of her zori (a sandal from Japan that looks like a platform flip-flop) and guessed she was kidnapped and decided to follow the faint horse tracks. Meanwhile, Silver was in the hands of her kidnapper. "You will make the most beautiful bride. I'm Takamatsu, your name?" said the stranger politely.

"I'm Silver and I have to be going sometime soon, you see, I have to take care of a weak-visioned girl and a red-haired infant, and a 4-year old, and I was gathering food for them." replied Silver.

"You're a mother?" asked Takamatsu

"No." answered Silver.

"I want you to be my bride."

"I don't know about that."

"You must!"

"I'm not ready."

"You must."

"I'm only 12."

"You must be my bride and there is no one as beautiful as you."

"I understand that but I know someone who is more suitable for you."

"Who else has such beauty?"

"A friend."

"Oh really? Is she a virgin? If so, I want her summoned at once."

"She's never been married or has had children, she'll make the wonderful bride."

During the conversation, Mie found the palace and broke in and searched through the place until she found the room where Silver was. "Think you can take our leader, could you? You can't have her!" said Mie to the man with little less to say. "Gin, is this your friend?" asked Takamatsu, in surprise to what had happened.

"Yes. Her name is Muru." answered Silver

"Splendid! Such joy for me!" replied Takamatsu, thinking something is of good fortune for him to finally marry. Mie was confused to hear someone say they'd marry her but wasn't sure what to say. She was speechless. She had little more to say. She glanced at Burou for an answer, the smart-alecky 4-year old rolled her eyes and shrugged with no answer. She glanced at Cheza but Cheza couldn't answer, either. She took a glance at Akaine , the infant she is holding, but infants don't have answers for themselves and Akaine surely didn't have answers, either. She looked at Silver, Silver's eyes looked pleading. She gave in. "I'll marry you if you do at least a few things for me." said Mie, wondering if her 'new' husband will grant her wishes. Takamatsu was eager to have a wife and was more than willing to grant any wish.

"What wish will it be, my dear?" asked Takamatsu. Mie was preparing herself on what she may be thinking, she gave it thought and decided to speak.

"After we are wed, You must let me go and help my friends and I promise I'd return once the crisis has ended but for now, I'll spend a week here." replied Mie

"Alright, I'll oblige, anymore wishes?" said Takamatsu, more than willing to make Mie happy.

"I have another wish but I must ask. Are there any heirs to the fortune and palace?"

"No Milady."

"This wish is that I may conceive and for you to adopt and care for Akaine and look after Burou, It's too perilous for them to come."

"Very well, Milady. Are you Akaine's mother? Any more wishes?"

"You could call me her 'mother', adoptive mother, that is. I have another wish and that is to help us whenever perils may strike and let us use your palace as a safe house."

"I promise milady. Is there another wish?"

"When I become quickened with a child, you have to send someone to bring me back here and you must hide me in the deepest parts of the castle and only that you know the way when my gestation is in the middle (about 5 months), I'll send a message to you when I'm in this stage."

"I'll grant you all 3(or 4) wishes but do you promise to return after the crisis?"

"My word."

2 days later they were wed and only stayed for a week. During the week, Silver decided to talk about her feelings about Mie leaving them at 5 months pregnant as she had become pregnant. "Toki, Ri, Bonsai, what's your opinion on this?" asked Silver one evening when the others were taking a slumber.

"She was useful to you when she joined you and Cheza on this journey but now, when she's 5 months along, we'll have to say farewell to her and we'll be without her for 4 more months, until the child is born, that is." answered Ri.

"Bonsai, what's your opinion?"

"I can't say but I can say this. With time, if she doesn't return, you'll meet again. You'll have to face challenges with Cheza and we'll be there to aid you. Maybe in the end, you'll meet again. You'll meet again. You'll be sad but it's for the best."

"Toki?"

"There is little I can say but true friends can't be separated by miles but you may not see her again for 4 months, 5 months, a year, or even until after this war ends. I see you're going cry after already losing two dear friends, you're afraid of losing more friends. Friends will always meet again, whether it be in life or it be in death, friends shall always meet again. Always meet again, always. We'll meet again when your life comes to an end or under a different circumstance but for now we won't leave our dearest friend until our deaths have been avenged and this war has ended but we'll always be with you, in your heart and your thoughts and we'll never forget you and you'll never forget us. Friends can't forget friends."

Toki offered some comfort from the heartache but Toki's words couldn't take the thought about losing Mie away but it did put her mind at ease. With some thought, She decided to leave Mie. She went back inside to arouse Cheza and went off to pack her things. "Silver, where are we going?" asked Cheza.

"We're continuing on, without Mie. Her pregnancy will only hold us back, she's no longer a benefit to us." answered Silver.

"Leaving Mie? Surely you're not serious, are you?"

"Yes, I'm serious. She'll only hold us back. There is no use for a pregnant woman on this journey and Mie will only be burden us."

"Do we have to leave so late?"

"Shut-up, and come or I'll leave you here, too."

Silver wrote a letter and left taking Cheza with her. Mie awoke the next morning to find the heartfelt letter. After reading over it carefully, Mie ran out into the courtyard and called Silver and Cheza's names. To no avail after calling their names, she knew that they left her. She started to cry and told her husband that she wouldn't be leaving and that her friends left her. Silver and Cheza were, once again on their own. They continued.

(Chapter VI ends here)

Ch. VII: Mother and Silver's lost identity

Rain fell and the only shelter is a rundown house. The house was in what appeared to be in an abandoned village. The only sound they could hear was the sound of an infant. They went into the house and found what they were looking for, and infant. "Where did she come from?" asked Cheza.

"No clue." answered Silver

"Perhaps she was abandoned."

"Unlikely but could've been."

"Can you find any evidence of her identity?"

"There's no note on her but she could've been abandoned earlier, about an hour, her mother has to be near."

"What can we call her?"

"I'll call her Niina."

"She must be hungry."

"Or lonely, let's find her mother."

Toki didn't know what to think about Niina but she did see something odd about her, Niina had eerily looked somewhat like Silver. Toki became bright-eyed to what she may've been thinking and decided to go off someplace, as she usually did. Toki was a typical 13-year (she'd probably be 15, as it was two years passed after her demise) old hikikomori (he-kik-oh-mor-ee, 'loner') and would rather be alone and isolated as she once was in life and even in death she was the same. She decided to find the child's mother that could be Silver's mother. She continued to glide over the ghost town, swiveling her head from left to right, right to left, side to side, here and there. She continued this until she saw an unknown female. Time passed and the rain stopped, a lullaby becomes heard. "This lullaby is eerily familiar…." said Silver. They continued until Silver caught sight of Toki (only Silver and few others can see, hear, and feel Toki, Ri, and Bonsai strongly, Cheza cannot). Toki looked like she had found something and hovered silently over the weeping woman. To some degree, Silver wanted to see to who this woman was. The woman turned and screamed, " Batafurai (Bat-ah-fu-rye, one of the four sayings of 'butterfly' in Japanese)!" and with that she seized Silver by the left wrist and continued to call her 'Batafurai', Silver had little to say. "Who are you?" asked Silver

"My name is Irenu ('Irene') and I am very sorry for abandoning you but I couldn't help but to do so. I had no choice, you see, I am your mother and I see that you have grown and found your sister. I had to abandoned you when you were a baby to keep you safe from harm's way and I couldn't afford to take of you and I vowed to myself that we'd meet again." answered the woman in tears.

Silver was confused but was curious about this woman and wondered if this woman was really an imposter and not her mother. "Are you really? If you are then what proof do you have?" asked Silver.

"The butterfly-shaped birthmark on your shoulder and that is why I named you 'Batafurai'." answered Irenu.

To Silver's shock, she had a butterfly-shaped birthmark and with that, she cried. "Why did you leave me, Mommy? Why Mommy, why?" cried Silver bitterly. Irenu tried to comfort her long-lost daughter. "I had no choice, Dearie, please understand." replied Irenu, trying to comfort Silver. "If I kept you, it will be harder on you than me. I am sorry, yes, I had no choice. I only did it because I loved you. I knew keeping you would be dangerous for you and it would hurt me. I couldn't put you up so I left you at the hospital and I watched one of the nurses take you in. I cried while leaving. I knew it was a heart wrenching decision and I was heartbroken but I wanted to give you better and if I didn't do it, you'd suffer. I didn't want you to suffer." said Irenu. Silver's cries quieted to a whimper, her mother's soft words echoed. "You did it because you loved me?" asked Silver.

"Yes because you'd suffer if I kept you and I wouldn't let you suffer." replied Irenu.

"I never knew."

"I know you didn't."

"I see but why didn't you come find me?"

"I went back to find you where I left you, at the hospital but you weren't there and the hospital was in ruins. I hoped for the best."

"I see but may I ask for a wish?"

"Yes Dearie."

"Never leave me again."

"I won't."

"Do you have a 6th sense?"

"I don't know."

"I do."

"Talented you are, I'm sure. I love you"

"I love you, too."

Another emotion came back, happiness and joy. Toki's lips slowly curved into smile. Toki for the first time, smiled. Ri saw her smile. Her hair changed color it's color to red. Toki never smiled before. She was slowly reclaiming her emotions. They continued to walk, Silver told her mother of the events. Toki finds a doll. The doll looked pretty. Its kimono was red. Its hair was black. It looked somewhat similar to Toki. Toki decided to play with it as, she never played with a doll before. Irenu looked worried for sometime while Silver told the riveting story. "Kaeda made trouble for me for some time and when you were born, my home was destroyed and had nowhere to go. She causes trouble for anyone, especially Me." said Irenu. Toki wished so much that her life wasn't unfinished but it was as it was. 3 emotions came back, sadness, sorrow and despair. Bloody tears fell from her ruby eyes, tears of a shattered but bleeding heart. Ri and Bonsai knew she was crying. They all knew that Silver wished to and could give them another start a life, as three of her reincarnated children. They continued, Kaeda watched them. Momoto wouldn't speak and Kaeda's patience wore thin. "Reveal to me what thou know about the lunar flower!" commanded Kaeda, knowing what she has in store for the young faerie.

"I will not!" said Momoto, refusing to tell Kaeda who or what was the lunar flower creation and didn't care that she was going to cut her young life short.

"Your years, months, weeks, and days are numbered, if you want to be free, tell where the lunar flower is…..or else!"

"Might as well do away, I'm not going tell, and you'll never find out so what's the use? I don't see any use for it so end my life if you wish, you won't be getting any closer to it. It wouldn't matter, whether or not you end my life, you'll always be murderer and you past will come back to kill you."

(Ch. VII ends here)

Ch. VIII: Toki's bittersweet smile

When they got settled again, Silver went to look for the child spirits. They appeared and they were staring at Toki and what she was holding. "Is that a doll?" asked Silver. Toki handed Silver the doll she was holding. Silver looked at the doll carefully. "This doll looks like you, Toki-san, just different, the hair and the kimono are different from yours." said Silver looking quite surprised at what Toki had found and was happy Toki had found something to play with as, she had never had toys before.

"I'm glad you're happy with this new doll of yours." said Silver. Toki giggled at the remark but her giggling was bittersweet as, it couldn't mask what she was feeling inside, sadness that their fates had to be slow and painful. After being left alone, Toki cried her bloody tears again. Her tears turned all the white flowers surrounding her bloody red. Ri knew her reclaimed emotions and her bloody tears were a grim reminder of how she died.

"Toki, if you are feeling sadness and despair, when it all ends, we will descend into heaven with butterflies." said Bonsai, trying cheer up his little sister. She continued to cry without wiping her tears. She was inconsolable, as her hair faded to white. "We'll be free, little sister, don't cry any longer. Together always, I promise, together always and forever." said Ri, trying to do the same. Toki felt they were the only were the only siblings she had. They sat for a while, watching the sunset. "Onee-chan, I'm lonely, I wish to be set free." said Toki. Silver nodded and agreed that shall happen. "I'm going to my Okaa-san (mother)." said Silver, Toki smiled a bittersweet smile. Silver knew that something was bothering her. Toki never had courage to admit feelings, especially if they were hers and hers alone. She felt lonely for the first time in her life that ended. Tears came into her eyes again, her brothers went to comfort her. Her loneliness went away, slowly. She knew Silver would keep her promise and if she couldn't, she'd die and she and her siblings have died in vain. She clutched her doll tighter. It started to move, she was animating and controlling it. She looked happy at what she was doing. "What are you doing?" asked Ri.

"Playing." answered Toki.

"Playing?"

"Playing."

"Why?"

"I never experienced it so I possess the doll and making it move, I can do that."

"Oh really."

"Yes."

"What kind of doll is it?"

"I don't know."

"Okay, why don't you know?"

"I've never seen an actual doll but pictures."

"….."

"You look, what people call 'smug', why look like this in such a way? Surely, you are pleased with something."

"What do you mean?"

"You're looking smug, I don't know what that is but I sure hope you will suck it up."

"What do you mean 'suck it up'?"

"Quit it."

"You feel no anger and surely you are soft-spoken."

"Suck it up, now."

"Why, little sister, why?"

"I said 'SUCK IT UP, NOW'!

"I'll suck it up."

"Good and stay that way."

Toki showed anger for the first time. Her emotions were coming back and anger was the fifth one. She showed it well, Ri got the message. Toki looked once again content. Ri left to her to her own devices. Bonsai giggled. "Bonsai, shut-up!" said Ri.

"Well, it's true." said Bonsai, laughing hysterically at the idea, Toki flared up.

"I said 'shut up', so shut up !"

"I won't."

"We're dead but I'll meet you in HELL when we pass over."

Toki growing angry, she said: "Both of you,…..SHUT UP! You look better that way, stay that way." Ri and Bonsai held their tongues and spoke little else. The next day was O-Bon (or Bon), where they honored the dead. They went to the nearby Koi River. Silver sent out 5 paper boats with candles in them, each had separate symbols. The 1st was for Ri, it had a blaze symbol on it. The 2nd was for Bonsai, it had a brother symbol. The 3rd was for Toki, it had butterfly on it. The 4th was for Kaeda, the woman she was going to kill, and it had a black floral fan on it, She ought to rest in peace, as I am to kill her,thought Silver, knowing what she must do. The 5th was for Cheza, the one who will sacrifice her life, it had a sakura(cherry blossom) on it. Ri, Toki, and Bonsai joined hands and danced around over the candle boats. They seemed happy. The kodamatsu ('child spirits') played about, while Silver, Irenu, and Cheza uttered their prayers. 'Together forever' whisked in the wind, they will always be together forever, Ri, Bonsai, and Toki will remain together forever. A butterfly landed in Toki's hand, it flew away. "It's beautiful." said Toki, understanding the concepts of beauty and life. Bonsai smiled and Ri sighed. Joining hands once again, the siblings danced. The next day, they were up and moving again. 'Together forever, didn't we always promise? Together forever' continued to whistle in the wind. Ri and Bonsai knew Toki watched them die and that was why she walked with her head down while her hair shrouded her face. She was taunted with the thought she couldn't save them from death at their mother's hands, she felt somewhat responsible. She cried again, her face became blood-streaked. No one could console her.

(Ch. VIII ends here)

Ch. IX: Toki's chronicles ( Toki's story before the current events)

I sit alone in this dark, cold, wet, and dreaded room. I sew up the only blanket I have by candlelight. I told the family secret and earned a harsh punishment. The cuts and bruises are fresh from earlier. Time passed. The candlelight is dim. I hear footsteps, I can't escape. I tried once but the attempt failed and I was beaten. I wait but to my thought it was Ri, my oldest brother. My adoptive brothers only visited me in secrecy for the fear they too, will end up the same. "What are you doing here?" I asked. He quieted me and handed me leftovers. I looked up at him and I asked "Why?"

"Quiet, it's the dead of night and you haven't eaten, I brought this to tide you over." he replied.

"Alright but can you do me another favor?"

"What may it be?"

"Bring me a red ribbon."

"As it may, it shall be."

"Good, be off someplace, I don't want you to get caught."

As I spoke those words, he was caught giving me the ribbon I asked for. Kaeda dragged us both upstairs. She let me go but kept Ri. I held the ribbon and followed Kaeda and Ri to the bathroom, I knew what she had in store for him. She was going to drown him and that was she did. "I told you not to go near that girl! Now you shall pay!" Kaeda shrieked, as she slowly killed him. As I and Bonsai watched, Ri's life had abruptly ended. Bonsai cried. He missed his older brother terribly and there was little I could do to comfort him. I knew I had to save Bonsai from the same fate. I was moved to the attic. It had been awhile, since I seen the nighttime sky. This was my new room. I sat writing in candlelight. I had already packed a small bag. I tied the ribbon at the end of my braid. I peered out of the window. There was little I could do. I decided to run away, it was a final resort in order to save Bonsai. I went to the door and opened it. I felt no fear of what was to come next. I climbed down the many stairs. I found the front the door. I ran into the night the night and through the darkened town. I ran through the dense forest. I had no sense of direction. My feet were bare, my clothes were rags. I knew I had to leave. I continued to run. It was a full moon, I changed form. In the form of a silver fox, I ran across the barren fields. I risked being caught by a hunter's dogs. I hear a trampling sound, I knew I was being pursued. She found out that I had left and it was too late. I ran faster than the hunters she sent after me, I ran a long distance. Guns rang out. I hopped fences, swam rivers, Fallen down waterfalls, they continued to pursue me. Morning was coming I slowly changed form back to normal. I was only covered in rags, they were tearing off. Small pieces flew into the wind and they continued until I was wearing little at all. I ran through fields, only the tall grass fully covered me. Gunshots rang out, again. My braid unraveled, the tied ribbon fell. I ran to get it. I grabbed a hold of it and tied it tightly in the loose strands of my hair. I ran through the woods and over the hills and hid in a thicket. No one found me. I stayed through the night, the next day I was unfortunate, I had been found- -by something - - but it wasn't the hunters, it was sickness. I knew I had no emotions but I wanted and knew if I was to suffer, then I want to die. I knew where the illness was coming from, it was coming from an infected wound. I preferred death could release me from her grasp. I decided that death was the only way out. I had no will to live. I quickly ran far away from my thicket. I continued to run until I came to a cliff, I jumped. All fell black.

(Ch. IX ends here)

Ch. X: Reclaiming what was stolen and the remembrance

Toki knew evil was not just a word, it was truly what it meant. To her, evil was pure hate and bitterness towards all things, living or dead. She had her free will and emotions stolen from her. She was slowly reclaiming certain things that had been taken from her, her emotions, her free will , her attachments, and worst of all, her life, something that she can only reclaim in reincarnation. It had been 2 years since my demise, I have been dead for the worst of times. I remain curious about the other side, yet, I am also afraid. Is it because I know not of the next world? There is no word for what I am but a mere child, a mere forgotten child . I wonder I will ever have a place in this world. thought Toki. Everyone was reclaiming what been stolen. Irenu was reclaiming the life that had been destroyed because she was forced to abandon her daughter. Silver was reclaiming her life after she had been deprived of her mother's care for 12 years. Ri was slowly coming to terms on his death. He knew for a fact, he was free from his mother's horrid grasp. Bonsai was slowly grasping the idea of death, he didn't understand why someone was forced to die. Cheza remembered her forthcoming fate, the journey had not ended but she knew, in so little time she had to live, her fate was drawing near. Her life was the sacrifice and she could never change fate, it was set, she knew there was nothing she could do to stop it. She stood wondering what her last moments will be. She knew peace would come and her final sacrifice would be worth it.

(Chapter X ends here)

Chapter XI: Momoto's escape

Kaeda was well past being infuriated and demanded (all in 5 sec.) over 100 times to tell her but Momoto always refused. "I'll never tell why ask? I know for a fact, I'll never tell. Why even bother?" said Momoto tauntingly. Kaeda had grown fed up and decided to try again the next day and let Momoto alone. Momoto looked around briefly, she saw bloodstains and small, bloody, child-sized handprints on the walls. She heard voices crying out agony and begging out in mercy. She knew they were Kaeda's victims, though not necessarily the first. Within about two hours, a ghost appeared, holding a key, she spoke the words: "You need to escape. Don't become her next victim." She disappeared leaving the key in her place. Momoto put the key her obi. She knew she couldn't escape by unlocking her cell door, with Kaeda coming back at any moment. She noticed the hay bed. She crawled silently to it to discover the hay was skillfully woven together and on the grate, hiding it. Hidden within it was a note. It read:

To whoever it may concern, I found this sewer grate, but I mayeth deliver this message and wish that you escape, use this grate to your advantage, whenever the time may be and escape. Escape for I could not.

Toki.

The note was written by a waifish hand, Momoto could tell that this victim was certainly not very good at writing. She knew Toki was one of Kaeda's victims. When time came that night, Momoto pried open the sewer grate and climbed down, closing the grate behind her. She walked through the long, dark, and winding tunnels. She continued to walk, until she found an infant floating in a basket. She picked up the infant and carried her along. She continued on, until she came across a little girl. The girl herself was in a dirty dress. The girl appeared to be frightened but welcoming to her presence. "Mommy?" asked the girl. The girl crawled through a smaller tunnel, Momoto followed after her and discovered an underground safehouse, which was in fact, full of children. There were 12 children in the safehouse. Their clothes were rags and their faces were dirty. They had been down there for some time, Momoto knew they were escaped or abandoned children. Her presence was welcomed amongst them. "Are you our new mommy?" asked the girl. They looked sorrowful but asked the same. "What are all of your names?" asked Momoto. One by one they said their names. The girl spoke first. "I'm Hikki." said the girl. The other children spoke next.

"I'm Momo." said a boy.

"I'm Akai." said a girl.

"I'm Kiryu." said a boy

"I'm Erii." said a girl.

"I'm Arashi." said a boy.

"I'm Yuri." said a girl

"I'm Rei." said a boy.

"I'm Yuki." said a girl.

"I'm Choushiro." said a boy

"I'm Shigure." said a girl

"I'm Toshiro." said a boy

She stood for a moment, wondering what she could do with the children, she knew she couldn't leave them alone. " Follow me." said Momo. She and the other children followed him through a tunnel into an even larger safehouse. "Will you be our new mommy? Please be our new mommy." asked Hikki again. Momoto gathered Hikki into her arms. "Don't worry, Mommy's here and always will be." said Momoto. She knew that she'll stay with the children for as long she can or have to. Meanwile, Kaeda was infuriated and even more so, she threw bags of heavy stones over the straw where the sewer grate was well hidden.

(Chapter XI ends here)

Chapter XII: Separate ways

When they came across a forest, Silver went into the forest, alone, no one followed, Irenu, Cheza, and not even the zashiki-warashi followed. No one followed her. She went into the dead forest alone. Toki watched intensely. Cheza started off into the distance. Silver was alone in the forest of death. After a few moments, Cheza followed afterwards. Toki tried to follow but Ri grabbed her hand and said "No, don't follow, not now." Toki's eyes welt up in tears. Her sorrow and sadness was intense. Toki felt her heart break. She wanted to lash out at her brother but her heart wouldn't allow it and she found herself unable to do so. She longed to follow her. The longing feelings developed a new emotion, a mixture of love, sorrow, and desire, was anguish. Toki felt extremely lonely. Toki clutched the doll close to her. Tears fell but they weren't her blood tears. "Will she not be needing us any longer?" asked Toki in sorrow and despair. Bonsai's lip trembled, he wrapped his arms around the only little sister he knew.

"Dearest little sister, Toki-san, she will be needing us but not right now." said Bonsai with a trembling lip.

"Why can't we follow her?"

"Don't cry, we will but we just can't follow now."

"Bonsai, she's very devastated, no use trying to comfort her."

"Ri, we could try!"

"Even so, but it will do us nothing!"

"You've been trying to comfort her from the beginning but now you don't! If you don't want to comfort her, then don't! But I will!"

"Hah! You've been teasing her from the beginning, so why the change of heart?"

"Ri you are so stubborn! I'm not as stubborn as you that's why I have a change of heart! She tried to save my life but it only ended nearly costing hers!"

"Save your life? She costed mine! If it weren't for that favor, I'd still be alive! She couldn't save my life but instead let me die!"

"She couldn't save your life because she was powerless but yet she nearly died trying to save mine and she knew couldn't but nonetheless, she tried, she didn't care whether or not she lived or died!"

"Don't fight, please don't fight."

"Toki stay out of this!"

"Ri!"

"This doesn't concern her!"

"It very well does! She is tortured by the guilt and sorrow when she couldn't save both our lives but yet she tried at the expense of hers!"

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop, stop, stop, and stop it! Don't fight anymore! Please don't fight! I can't take it any longer! STOP!"

As they walked on, they found a note. The note was written by a waifish hand and was written in blood. The note read:

To whom it may ever concern, please save his life, I don't have much to offer but I'll try to make it worth your while. Please save his life, for I could not

To-

Silver put the note in her bag and they trudged further. She did not notice the spirits were not following them. No one noticed, no one looked back to see if they were still there.

(Chapter XII ends here)

Chapter XIII: Silver's visions and the mysterious objects

As they continued on, deeper and deeper into the forest. On the way, Silver spotted a vial full of a red liquid, a note was found next to it. The note read:

To whomever finds this vial, use it to your advantage, it is a healing liquid, one of the things I can give, escape for I could not,

To-

Silver gathered up the note and the vial and stashed them in her bag. Silver looked back to see if Ri, Bonsai, and Toki were still behind her but to her dismay, they weren't, they were far behind, where she left them. Silver's eyes welt up in tears, she quickly wiped them away and shrugged it off. Her heart was broken, she felt alone and afraid. She remembered Toki's words: Friends can't forget friends. She came across a red ribbon. In a flash, Silver went into a trance. A vision swept over the land. The vision showed a girl (from behind) running (she was running the way Silver and Cheza were coming from but Silver was seeing it from a different perspective). Hunters were pursuing her, guns ring out, she skidded several times, a ribbon fell from her hair but she continued to run. The vision ended with the girl continuing to run. Silver snapped back to reality, stashed the ribbon, and continued to walk. They continued on, until they came across another object, a small box, another note was found. The note read:

To whoever it may concern, this box contains an herb called oleander this isn't meant to be used as a healing herb but it is a sickening herb and is very powerful, this box contains enough to poison and even kill everyone in the castle. I only ask that you use to your advantage and sicken your enemy. Use it for I could not.

To-

Silver gathered up the box of oleander and the note and put in her bag. As she continued, she had another vision. The vision showed the girl continuing to run, her feet started to turn a bright red, they were going to bleed. She stopped running only briefly to catch her breath. As she continued, she dropped an object carefully, as if, leaving a gift for whoever finds it. The vision ended after the girl dropped the object.

Meanwhile, Ri, Bonsai, and Toki guided Irenu to a well-hidden entrance to an underground safehouse. Irenu slipped through the tunnel and was greeted by Momoto and the orphans. "If it gives you hope and reassurance, the other zashiki-warashi, will guide them and keep them safe." said Bonsai, trying to keep their spirits up. Ri looked envious, he was envious of Bonsai. He was so envious that he even confronted Toki on it. "Why couldn't you save my life?" said Ri, angrily.

"Under your skin, it's pain you feel not anger, so why are you confronting me?" answered Toki, casually.

"Well? You didn't answer my question."

"What else do you want? It's not my fault you died, it's no one's fault. I tried to save Bonsai because I knew that if you died, you wouldn't want him to suffer the same fate and your death was to come whether or not you went near me."

"Wha…t…t? You're lying!"

"It's true, she would've ended your life even if you hadn't gone near me. Face it, ever since she longed for power and greed overcame her, you would've been killed nonetheless, if believing you were in her way. She doesn't care, as long as she gets what she wants, there's wasn't a thing I could do."

"How do you know this?"

"I know because she murdered us so coldly, that if we lived and escaped her wrath, she would've slaughtered men, women, teenagers, children, toddlers, and even infants to get to us."

"That doesn't make half sense, Doll eyes."

"Whatever, it doesn't make sense because you don't listen and wasn't listening when I said what I said."

As Silver continued, she found a key and another note. The note read:

To whoever finds this key, this is the key to everything even the gate, I have stolen, use it to your advantage and get into the castle. Use it for what it's worth

To-

She put the key and note in her bag, and continued on. As they were walking, they neared a river. As they were getting closer, Silver had another vision. It showed the girl again, she was staring at the river before deciding to jump, she swam across, and once she got across, she ran as fast as her skinny legs could carry her, the hunters shot at her aimlessly as was too far away to be in view. The vision soon ended. They continued forward and towards the river. They crossed the river. They came across another object, a pouch with another note. The note read:

To whoever it may concern, this a pouch full of a small blades, it may not serve you much when alone but combine them with something a powerful weapon will be made but they'll only serve at melee range.

To-

Silver gathered up the pouch and the note and put them in her bag. As they continued, Silver had another vision. The vision showed the girl again, she continued to run, her feet were bleeding but she continued to run. Another gun rang out, instead of dodging the bullet, she was hit but she continued to run. Blood spewed from the wound. She grabbed her side but only for a few minutes. She continued to run but nonetheless, bled. Drops of her blood fell on the ground but she continued to run, no matter how injured she became, nothing seemed to stop her. The vision ended with the girl still running. They continued on. Silver spied another object with a note, the object was a photograph. The note read:

A once happy picture that is no longer happy but a mere shattered memory that has been captured in this image.

To-

After looking at the picture carefully, she recognized the children in it, they were Ri, Bonsai, and Toki but they were younger in the picture. A small bloody fingerprint was left on it. Silver knew who the girl in her visions was, the girl was Toki. Toki left those objects long ago for someone to find them.

Kaeda was wondering where Momoto was. She didn't know that Momoto escaped down the sewer grate and into a well-hidden underground safehouse. "I'll never know now!" said Kaeda furiously. She glared at the window, a pale face appeared. It was a zashiki-warashi, he glared at her. Another zashiki-warashi appeared, she glared too. They were Kaeda's victims and they were waiting for Silver to set them free. Kaeda stared in horror at the ghost pointing his finger at her. "Stay away from me! I am not going to die!" shrieked Kaeda. He nonetheless pointed at her and she knew her fate was drawing near. After pointing, he pressed his hand on the window and vanished, leaving a bloody handprint behind.

Meanwhile, Silver was coming to terms on knowing that Toki was the girl in her vision. She knew Toki was running but she didn't know from whom. She knew that hunters were chasing her but she didn't know why. She knew whom she must destroy and aimed to solve along buried mystery.

(Chapter XIII ends here)

Chapter XIV: The ghost girl

They continued on, out of the forest, across a field, and toward a village. When they got to the entrance of the village, a girl appeared. Silver could tell she was a ghost. Her hair was sleek black. It was loose with a few bangs and a small ponytail that was tied with a hair scrunchie, with flower accessory on it. Her kimono was blue with silver butterflies on it. Hey eyes were a bright blue. Her skin was pale white. "Follow me." said the girl. They followed her into the village. The village was empty, its inhabitants died long ago, all was left were hitodama (demon or ghost flame). Their true forms and they were hideous. Some the buildings were in ruins, some were partially burned, and some remained intact. Skeletons and bones of the inhabitants littered the area, the smell of blood was in the air. A massacre had occurred long ago. They continued to follow the ghost girl. She was leading them somewhere. She continually looked back but only at Silver and Cheza. They continued on following the ghost girl. As they followed her, they were nearing Kaeda's castle. When they got to the wall, she disappeared, leaving her scrunchie with a flower decoration in her place. Silver put it in her bag.

(Ch. XIV ends here)

Chapter XV: Kaeda and the ghost boy

Silver looked around and saw the area was covered in forest. Suddenly a boy appeared. Silver knew he was another ghost. His eyes were iridescent. His hair was black with silverish highlights. His kimono was emerald green with a yellow dragon. His skin was pale "Follow me." He said. Silver and Cheza followed him to a hole in the side of the wall. He went through the hole and the followed suit. They were behind the wall. Silver spotted a box with a kimono, makeup, lip coloring, war fan with the blades missing and a katana with sutra painted on it inside. A note was found in the box. It read:

This is my final gift, I can give but it's worth it. The items inside are meant for you to slip inside undetected. Right under her nose

Toki

Silver put on the kimono. She neatly put on the makeup. She put the lip coloring on her lip. Using the blade, she cuts her hair to shoulder length and tied it up in a bun with the red ribbon. She reattached the blades to the war fan. Cheza pulled her hood over her head and pulled the veil over her face. This is it, no turning back. Life or death. Do or die. This is not for me but for the ones I care about. thought Silver. Cheza knew within time, she will die but knew it'll be worth it. They walked in through the door, following the ghost boy. After getting inside, the ghost boy disappeared.

Toki, Ri, and Bonsai sat in utter silence, saying nothing. Toki looked up at the sky, clouds started to roll by and they began to turn grey, Toki knew what was to come. The battle is to begin. thought Toki. Everyone was in a depressing mood. Ri stood staring out into the woods, waiting for something to happen. "May I go after Onee-chan now?" asked Toki inquisitively but nonetheless impatiently. Neither Ri nor Bonsai, knew how to answer that. "Not yet, little shisuta but soon." answered Ri. Toki didn't like waiting too long. "How long must I wait?" asked Toki impatiently.

"Toki, be patient, we'll follow her soon, when the battle begins." answered Bonsai

"Bonsai (she pronounced it Boon-seye) , I don't like waiting!"

"Toki, we must wait, like I said, the other zashiki-warashi will guide her."

"She's the only friend I feel I have!"

"Yes, that's true but we still must wait."

"Why can't we be with her now?"

"Because we have a connection to this place but we are not bound here and Silver must fight this on her own."

"Cheza's with her."

"That I don't know why."

"Exactly, big brother, it's not fair!"

"Toki, it seems that way but it is as it is."

"What is?"

"It's the way things are."

"However so?"

"I'm not sure but….."

"Go on….."

"I think Cheza is the key to the end….."

"Okay?"

"I'm just going to come out with it, I believe Cheza is the lunar flower."

"WHAT?"

"Yuh-huh, I think that's what she is."

"And you didn't tell?"

"No."

"I ought to give you a smack in the face for not even telling her."

"Well, I'm sorry…."

"I feel she should have a right to know about this AND YOU TOOK AWAY SAID RIGHT FROM HER! You should feel sorry for what you did"

"For a ghost you sure are angry…."

"My feelings are mixed."

"Is there any way I can make it up to you?"

"Let me respond in the following manner….."

After five minutes, WHACK! "Ow!" WHACK! "Ow!" WHACK! "Ow!" WHACK! "Toki,…..OW!" WHACK! "No more, please- Ow!" WHACK! "You should've told!" WHACK! Dazed with one eyelid drooping, Bonsai said "Um, Ri, how do endure something hard hitting you." Ri turned to look at Bonsai and answered "What exactly do you mean something hard hitting you ?"

"A doll…."

"Go on…"

"Toki whacked me with her doll."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Why? Because if Toki hit you, there's a reason."

"I know something about Cheza."

"What do you know?"

"Cheza is the lunar flower."

"And you didn't tell?"

"No."

"I OUGHT TO RIP YOUR LIPS OFF!"

"I knew you'd say that."

"Why didn't you tell?"

"I didn't know until now."

Out of nowhere, a loud echoed through the land. "Happy now?" asked Bonsai in croaky voice. Ri had strangled him earlier. Ri and Toki stared at him angrily. Bonsai knew his mouth got him in trouble.

Kaeda stood pondering on what she should do but she had not known that Silver and Cheza had already infiltrated her castle. A servant, appeared saying something about a new servant girl, which no one knew she was Silver. Kaeda was rather delighted to hear About a new servant. "Well, she had better be special, my other servants are worthless, surely this new one had better be good." sneered Kaeda. Silver knew that she had to put up with keeping up the ruse to fool Kaeda. "Where is the new girl?" asked Kaeda. "She's making tea." said a servant girl. Silver was making tea but it was no ordinary tea, it was oleander tea that was going to be served to the samurai that was to visit. That ought to weaken them, Kaeda's minions will be dead. though Silver. After Silver was finished making tea, she swapped it with another servant girl' teapot, the serving girl that was to serve the tea. "Toki, you must've been an expert at poisoning, surely you must've did it before but didn't get away with It." whispered Silver. Cheza waited anxiously in the pantry, she was waiting for the battle to begin. Silver quickly spied a shackle on a serving girl's ankle. "Excuse me, what's the shackle for?" whispered Silver. The girl looked around quickly and replied, "To keep us from escaping, she will know that if we slip up, we may end up dead or imprisoned, she will kill us if we don't escape or anger her in any way. Many have tried to escape, some failed, some made it, others were not so lucky. To some death is a blessing." Silver knew that she had to help the girls so in doing so, she unlocked the girl's shackle. "What's your name?" Silver asked the servant girl. "Chie (Chi-ay). My name is Chie." replied the servant girl.

"Chie, does she ever notice when the shackle is not on your ankle?" asked Silver.

"No, she never notices and she'll never notice if we're gone."

"I've just unlocked your shackle."

"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Is there any way you can escape?"

"I don't know."

"You could escape, through the window."

"But I may get caught."

"Not if she can't see you."

"Oh, okay."

"Is there any empty flour sacks."

"Lots."

"Well, get one."

"Okay."

Chie grabbed a flour sack, under Silver's instruction, she climbed in it. Silver closed the flour sack and tossed it in the pantry. The next, servant girl came, Silver unlocked her shackle, put her in the flour sack, and tossed her in the pantry. One by one, two by two, three by three, she placed a total of ten girls (not counting Chie), hidden in empty flour sacks, in the pantry. She knew there were more girls but she knew she couldn't hide them all at one time. After a few hours, Silver heard loud thumps of bodies hitting the floor, they had drank 2 or more cups of tea than she had expected. Toki, that was sure some really powerful oleander, certainly you have underestimated it's power . thought Silver. Kaeda took notice and blamed the oldest servant girl (who was about 17 ½ years old) for poisoning her guests. Peeking through the door of the dining room, Silver watched in shock, as Kaeda began to beat her. Silver felt terrible for letting the girl take the blame for poisoning the guests. The girl returned to the kitchen with a bruised face, she looked at Silver sorrowfully as, if begging for help. Silver knew what she felt and it was bitterness but not at her but towards Kaeda. "What's your name?" asked Silver. "Hana (hen-nah), my name is Hana." replied the girl. "Was there a girl before you?" asked Silver, after staring at the chart on the wall. "Yes, but she died years ago, Her name was Mitsune (Mitt-soo-nay), she was my twin sister, all that's left of her are her belongings and her ashes, which some of which, are in a vial tied around my neck." said Hana. Without effort, Silver befriended Hana and the two became like sisters. "I going to get you out of here, Hana." said Silver. Hana didn't ask questions but she smiled. After a few hours, Hana climbed in flour sack and Silver closed it and placed it in pantry. Another servant girl came in. Silver recognized her instantly, she was Burou. Burou recognized her too but she seemed sad. "Silk-hair (she doesn't know Silver's name), why did you go really far away?" asked Burou in confusion and sadness. "I had no choice, Burou." said Silver.

"You coulda said goodbye to me and Akai, we were really upset."

"I'm sorry. How is Muru"

"Oh, dear, she went away to the sky, that's what Mr. Takamatsu told me."

"Her baby?"

"Oh, he's okay, I think."

"Akai?"

"She's on my back, sleeping, She's my cellmate."

"Okay. Takamatsu?"

"I don't know. He probably went into the sky, too"

"Okay."

"Where are your angels?"

"My angels?"

"The angels that follow you everywhere, where are they? Have they gone away too?"

"They'll be back soon."

"I don't like that fatty lady, she's mean."

"I'll get you out of here."

Silver put Burou and Akaine in a flour sack and put in the pantry. She hid more servant girls in flour sacks and in the pantry. Kaeda didn't bother to check on them, she didn't care if all the servant girls disappeared at once. After a long time, the last 3 servant girls came in and Silver hid them in flour sacks and put them in the pantry. Kaeda called for Silver and she came, Cheza soon followed after. "How darling, the other servant girls vanished, and I only have one! And she brought a friend, how lovely! I wonder if I could'st negotiate a price for an arrange marriage, when I pass you off as a daughter." said Kaeda, with something sinister in mind. I'm not you daughter, I'm Irenu's daughter! thought Silver. The idea of being in an arranged marriage made her sick. Silver knew she had to wait in order to strike. "You don't even know who I am, do you?" said Silver boldly, she knew what was to come. Cheza knew it what a matter of time before she would die. "What did you say?" said Kaeda in a displeased tone.

"You heard me, Kaeda!" said Silver again even more boldly than before.

"Oh?"

"I know your past, you've killed your children, you've destroyed my friends, imprisoned an innocent girl, took the lives of so many innocent victims that didn't deserve to die, I know who you are but do you know who am?"

"How do you know these things?"

"Hah! I'm death and you are the one I've come to claim."

"Be that as it may but you'll never claim my soul!"

"We shall see about that!"

(Chapter XV ends here)

Final Chapter, XVI: The battle

After being offended, taking a small sword, Kaeda lunged at Silver but she jumped out of the way. When attacking Cheza, she narrowly escaped. Silver took out her blade. Upon taking it out, it increased its size and the sutra glowed red. They fought hard and long. Kaeda's small blade broke, Silver saw she was triumphing. With such ease, she managed to pull out the war fan, which increased size also. She threw it, Kaeda was slashed deeply. Blood spewed everywhere, Kaeda reached for another blade, she struck but missed. Many hours passed, blood spilled, blades clashed, it seemed to have no end. Suddenly, Ri, Bonsai, and Toki appeared with many other spirits. The little girl spirit from before, reached for Kaeda's eyes, she managed to gauge out one of her eyes. "You need not to see any longer." She said. Ri grabbed her hair, yanking strands out. Her hair started to turn grey as he pulled each strand. Her appearance became flawed. Bonsai scratched at her face, her face became flawed. The little boy spirit from before called out "Ye must pay for what ye has done!" The more the ghosts attacked her, the more flawed she began to look.

Ultimately, Toki snatched the pendant from her neck, it smashed on the ground. Her beauty faded completely. Toki's look for changed completely. Her kimono was no longer bloodstained and torn but instead it looked new, it had a new color, red, she began to look similar to the doll she once held. Her hair turned black. The rosiness returned to her cheeks. She grew taller and no longer looked thirteen but instead looked 2 years older. Ri and Bonsai aged too, looking older than they once were. Bonsai was no longer fat and pudgy. Ri looked as though he was going to start off anew. The girl and boy spirits aged also but they looked much older than Ri, Bonsai, or Toki. Kaeda struck at Toki but Toki could not be harmed. With only one eye, she struck aimlessly. "Some days, some nights, some live, some die..."Silver chanted multiple times. Kaeda knew she was not to live any longer but she struck anyway. The next blow came but Ri blocked it, knocking her sword from her hand. She scrambled to pick it up. At the same time, Silver and Kaeda struck a final blow. After a long battle, someone lie dead, it was queen of evil herself, Kaeda. Silver arose victoriously. Toki stood over someone, Cheza, she had been critically injured and it was too late to save her. "Cheza?" called Silver. Cheza answered faintly, "Alas, dear old friend, my life is coming to an end, I have something to confess, I had been the lunar flower all along and I lived miserably but yet, in a way it was also a trifle. The battle is over, peace has been restored, you can go and live your life as happy and as full as you can. My sacrifice was worth it but in a way, it also a tragedy because I can look back on these pass six or seven months and wonder if-" Cheza died before she finished her sentence. All was left of her body, was a lunar flower and small seeds. Silver knew what Cheza wanted to say. What Cheza wanted to say if life was worth living or what it is. Time passed, Silver gave Toki a burial right next to her brothers. Ri, Toki, and Bonsai went on to rest in peace. Irenu began a new life with her Silver, the servant girls, Burou, Akaine (renamed Akai), and of course her youngest daughter. Momoto came out of hiding and adopted the 12 children and moved on lived her life.

Epilogue

Many years passed, in the castle where Kaeda once lived, children were playing in its many hallways. Her husband has passed but she and her many children remained. She lie in a very large room, giving birth. She was as she was, Silver, the mother of many. She gave birth to her final 3 children. "You little ones look very familiar…" said Silver. Two boys and a girl was born, Ri Toki and Bonsai were reborn. Her children grew, got married, returned to her castle, and children of their own and their children too had children. Alas when Silver reached extreme old age and after her final great-grandchild was born, she died peacefully, with the past behind her and as happy as could be.

The End

Toki's doll