The Best of Intentions…
The city of Hong Kong was filled with activity as its citizens milled about celebrating the New Year with joyous abandon. The streets were filled with multicolored lights and lamps that hung from nearly every possible place; from the cords strung between light poles, the trees and the balconies of many resident's apartments.
It seemed there was a smile on every face as Hong Kong's people both young and old took part in the festivities. The younger children watched with awe as many of their older siblings set off fireworks from them, generating a dazzling display of lights that would cause the youngsters eyes to grow large and cry out in wonder and excitement. The older folk sat about telling stories to the children as well, filling their heads with tales of brave heroes battling evil and saving the day. The older teens and adults ran booths running games and serving food. The streets were also filled with many fancily clothed dancers; they performed everything from the classic and traditional to amazing feats of aerobatics. All these wonderful sights and more, ranging from fire breathing, feats of strength eating contests filled the streets of Hong Kong until bursting.
Sakura Kasugano stared down upon the lively and happy crowd bellow with dead eyes. As she stood on the edge of the balcony she started down coldly on the crowd below and wondered how they could possibly feel any joy at a time like this. Sakura herself felt nothing, nothing but cold and numb. Hot tears cascaded slowly down her face and the bile rising in the back of her throat made it hard for her not to simply throw up.
Slowly she lifted up her right hand in front of her face, looking at first the hand, and then the finger; the finger that had pulled the trigger and ruined everything. There would be no more happiness, no more fighting, no more becoming stronger and no love. Sakura bit back the urge to simply scream out in defiance to the fates that had willed things to end this way.
The waves of pain and guilt rocked through her worse than any attack ever had during her career as a street fighter. All she could feel right now was the pain. Pain so fierce she felt like it was eating her slowly from the inside. Surely nothing else on earth could hurt this much. The pain was terrible and it was ten fold worse because a little voice inside her head reminded her of something.
[I]It's all your fault![/I]
"No, I never meant for this to happen," she sobbed desperately.
[I]And yet it was surely you that pulled the trigger and ended a life, was it not?[/I]
"Y-yes.." Sakura slowly choked out, barely able to say the words.
[I]Perhaps it's time to make things right then.[/I]
Sakura shakily nodded to herself, hardly in control of her own thoughts any more. Without another single thought she stepped up onto the railing and walked off into the abyss; and her memories of the past few months came rushing back to her.
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The city of Hong Kong was filled with activity as its citizens milled about celebrating the New Year with joyous abandon. The streets were filled with multicolored lights and lamps that hung from nearly every possible place; from the cords strung between light poles, the trees and the balconies of many resident's apartments.
It seemed there was a smile on every face as Hong Kong's people both young and old took part in the festivities. The younger children watched with awe as many of their older siblings set off fireworks from them, generating a dazzling display of lights that would cause the youngsters eyes to grow large and cry out in wonder and excitement. The older folk sat about telling stories to the children as well, filling their heads with tales of brave heroes battling evil and saving the day. The older teens and adults ran booths running games and serving food. The streets were also filled with many fancily clothed dancers; they performed everything from the classic and traditional to amazing feats of aerobatics. All these wonderful sights and more, ranging from fire breathing, feats of strength eating contests filled the streets of Hong Kong until bursting.
Sakura Kasugano stared down upon the lively and happy crowd bellow with dead eyes. As she stood on the edge of the balcony she started down coldly on the crowd below and wondered how they could possibly feel any joy at a time like this. Sakura herself felt nothing, nothing but cold and numb. Hot tears cascaded slowly down her face and the bile rising in the back of her throat made it hard for her not to simply throw up.
Slowly she lifted up her right hand in front of her face, looking at first the hand, and then the finger; the finger that had pulled the trigger and ruined everything. There would be no more happiness, no more fighting, no more becoming stronger and no love. Sakura bit back the urge to simply scream out in defiance to the fates that had willed things to end this way.
The waves of pain and guilt rocked through her worse than any attack ever had during her career as a street fighter. All she could feel right now was the pain. Pain so fierce she felt like it was eating her slowly from the inside. Surely nothing else on earth could hurt this much. The pain was terrible and it was ten fold worse because a little voice inside her head reminded her of something.
[I]It's all your fault![/I]
"No, I never meant for this to happen," she sobbed desperately.
[I]And yet it was surely you that pulled the trigger and ended a life, was it not?[/I]
"Y-yes.." Sakura slowly choked out, barely able to say the words.
[I]Perhaps it's time to make things right then.[/I]
Sakura shakily nodded to herself, hardly in control of her own thoughts any more. Without another single thought she stepped up onto the railing and walked off into the abyss; and her memories of the past few months came rushing back to her.
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