TITLE: Kidnapped Flower
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph
DISCLAIMER: Don't own the series.




Chapter 2



Anemone stirred on the hard, cold floor. She grimaced slightly, trying to hold onto what little power hadn't yet been taken from her. "She's still resisting, Lord Taulpa. Yet enough has been taken to restore many of the creations that the Ronins destroyed." Bantamon declared. He returned to the incantation that was meant to drain her of her power. The evil spirit was concentrating on what he was doing to her. I had never thought that a child could be so powerful.

Where am I? And what's going on here? The last thing that I remember was something surrounding me while I was training. Then she became aware of her power being drained. NO! I won't let them do this to me! The power I have is a part of who I am! Nail, please, help me! Her plea to her former sensei seemed to break the spell she was under then...

A bright blue aura surrounded her as she gathered what remained of her accessible ki. Her obsidian eyes snapped open with a sudden sharpness. "What? She should've been unconscious for two more days!" the Lord of the Nether spirits cried. Astonishment was plain to hear in his tone. Obviously, he didn't know about saiya-jins. Soon it would be time to educate him.

"I won't let you do this to me." she hissed. The girl's jet-black hair was fluttering about in the sudden rush of energy. A primal scream escaped from her as her own power caused excruciating pain. The little amazon blasted a hole in the wall of the palace then flew out. She dodged the other nether spirits under the dull red sky. Only when she was far from the palace did she begin to relax.

I must hide. There is too much evil power here for me to fight my way out. The young saiya-jin landed and hid under an upraised building. "Ow." she softly muttered as something had stabbed her in the hip.

Anemone reached behind herself, then freed an arrow from the ground. The small remnants of her power caused a dark blue kanji to appear. Inochi. But why? Why would the arrow have a kanji marking? Then the effects of the power drain hit her. The girl's eyes slid closed as she fell into a peaceful sleep. A sleep that would rejuvenate her ki to a level that could help her more in this foreign world.

~*

"Child, get up." a gentle voice commanded. She managed to get to her feet, and only then did she see the one speaking to her. A monk, dressed in blue and white stood before her. A cone shaped hat was on his head, hiding his eyes from sight. Sandals were on his covered feet and in his hand, he held an unusual staff, with a top made of what appeared to be gold. Long white hair fell over his shoulders and down his back. Wisdom and kindness radiated from his being.

"Who are you?"

"They called me the Ancient One. Listen to me, this place is the Dynasty, an evil nether realm that has attempted to take your mortal realm for thousands of years. Go to a far-off corner. There you will find the last Ancient and three samurai warlords. They will help you get back." He began to vanish from sight.

"Wait! How will I know?"

"Child, you hold one of the arrows from the armour Stratta, the armour of Inochi. She will know." He faded back into the mist surrounding Anemone, leaving her alone in her sleep. The mists slowly faded, leaving a peaceful scene that brought the rest she needed.

*~

She sat up sharply, nearly hitting her head off of one of the floor beams above her. Well, that explains the kanji. Now, off to the place he told me to go. The girl crawled out from under the building then ran off. She didn't dare to fly, as they would see her all too easily. It had taken her much too long to loose them when she flew and even now, her energy had not recovered enough for her to fly more than ten miles. Instead, she followed her instincts to where her heart led her.

~

"Kale, Dais, Sekhmet, we must leave now. The Dynasty is once again under the control of the evil one." Kayura declared. Suddenly, the rings on her staff danced about wildly. The three warlords formed a protective circle around her, looking in the direction that a weakened power came from.

Surprise came over them when they noticed a young girl standing a little ways off. It was clear that she had been running from the area of the palace. Yet here she stood, barely winded. Long raven black hair tumbled down her back, as her braid had fallen out over the dash to this area. She wore a simple pair of blue jeans, tennis shoes and a top that was a pale lavender. Her wild bangs seemed to hang in the air; defying gravity. Dirt was smeared over her body, showing that she had hidden next to the ground, probably under a building.

"A little girl? But why would the staff react to her?" Dais commented, to the world at large. He seemed very confused; as she clearly wasn't something that could be dangerous to them.

"Look. That is one of Rowen's arrows." The Ancient walked away from the warriors and up to the girl. "Who are you?" She knelt slightly, still keeping her grip on the staff of the Ancients. Her kimono folded around her gracefully as she gazed into the girl's eyes.

The girl blinked and looked up at her. "My name is Anemone. I was kidnapped from West Capital. Can you help me get home?"

Something tells me that this girl is from a forgotten race. But which one? So many have been forgotten or lost. "Yes, Anemone. We'll help you get home. Come." She led her to the warlords standing where she'd left them. After a few introductions, they were teleported to the mortal realm.
"This way, child. You still need to rest." She guided her into the hidden temple gently.

In one of the rooms, farther from the entrance, she was placed on a bed. Warm blankets were draped over her as sleep claimed her as a friend. Sekhmet sat near her, ready to defend her should the need arise. All present knew that there was something about her that the Dynasty would kill for. They had to keep her safe until she could defend herself once more.