Sakura ½
Chapter Two: Whoops!
By Delphine
The two joined the rest (Tanis and Sturm had made it down). Tanis told them they were going to hideout at Tika's house. Sakura noticed the rope burns on his hands and made a mental note to take a look at them later to keep them from getting infected, Dr. Tofu had taught her well.
So they walked, watching for any danger with Tas in the lead as the guide and Sturm last, bringing up the rear. It was dark and hard to see, but it didn't effect Ranma or Sakura. Ranma for his attention to detail and trained senses, Sakura for the fact that she could see in the dark and all her senses were heightened. If the others could see through the blackness they would have noticed Sakura's eyes had gone liquid gold with slit pupils. Tanis could of course, what with his elf eyes but he didn't even glance at her and so did not notice.
"I think we're here," Ranma said.
Indeed, Tas was standing in front of an open doorway, smiling. "Come in," he said, playing host.
"'Come into my parlor,' said the spider to the fly," Sakura quoted. Ranma gave her a funny look. "What? I thought it was appropriate."
"I don't even want to know…"
Eventually they all found a place to sit (or stand) in the little house. Goldmoon sat in a chair, Riverwind stood by her, Sakura stood by Tanis, Raistlin stirred up a fire, Ranma and Caramon stood at the window and kept watch, and Sturm and Tas stood. Without asking Sakura forced Tanis to sit and pulled out her medical kit from her bag. "Better let me take a look at those burns," she said.
He held out his hands, palms up, and gave her a inquiring look as she pulled out a bottle of disinfection spray. Popping off the cap, she said, "This might sting," before spraying onto the burns.
"What is that?" Tanis asked, wincing at the promised sting.
The others looked onto her in wonder. "It disinfects the wound," she said, as she pulled out bandages.
"Wow!" Tas cried. "That's neat, is it some kind of magic potion, Raistlin can you make one too?"
"It's not magic, kender," Raistlin rasped, annoyed.
Speaking of magic… "Goldmoon, do you know how the blue crystal staff healed the man?" Sakura asked.
"No." She faltered. "I-I haven't had it very long."
"May I please see it?" she asked.
Goldmoon nodded and handed it to her. Carefully, Sakura took the staff and touched Tanis' burned and bleeding hands with it. The staff began to glow blue and just as she had expected the wounds on his hands were healed until not even a scar remained. "True healing!" Tanis said, awe in his voice.
Before Sakura could hand the staff back to Goldmoon, Raistlin spoke up. "If I might examine it?"
The woman nodded and Sakura handed the staff to him. As soon as the mage touched the staff there was a bright flash of blue light and a crackling sound. Raistlin jerked back, crying out in pain and shock. Caramon jumped forward, but his brother stopped him. "No, Caramon," Raistlin whispered hoarsely, wringing his injured hand. "Neither of the ladies had anything to do with that."
"What is it then?" Tanis asked in exasperation. "A staff that heals and injures at the same time?"
"It merely know its own," Raistlin licked his lips, his eyes glittering.
Sakura saw where the conversation was going. "It has something to do with the person doesn't it?" she asked, handing the staff back to Goldmoon.
"Very good," he said, as if he was praising a dog and not a human. "Only those of simple goodness, pure in heart"-his sarcasm was biting-"may tough the staff. It is truly a sacred staff of healing, blessed by some god. It is not magic. No magic objects that I have heard about have healing powers."
"Hush!" ordered Tasslehoff, who had taken Caramon's place. "I hear someone."
Sakura took the opportunity to put her medical kit back in her pack and pulled out a mirror. "This really isn't the time to start primping," Ranma said as he caught sight of her mirror. "Wait a minute isn't that the mirror Cologne gave you?"
She nodded. "It's a magic mirror that will show me what I want to know within limits and I have to ask it in a rhyme."
"A rhyme?"
Sakura thought for a moment and proceeded to ask the mirror her question. "Mirror, mirror in my hand, show me what creatures near us stand." She received funny looks from everyone. "What? I'll have you know it's not easy to come up with a rhyme."
"What does your mirror see?" Raistlin spoke up, coming to look over her shoulder. She blushed slightly at the close proximity of the mage.
In the glassy surface appeared sickening monsters searching houses. The warning had come to late for they were already upon the house they were at. The others shrank in the shadows, but no Sakura, she waited for the goblins. "Oh, ho! Well if it isn't one of those foreigners…and a pretty one at that," slobbered on of them.
The two approached the placid looking girl. As soon as they came in arm's length, Sakura attacked. Before they could react, she had on of them on the ground using a shoulder flip. Putting his head between her feet she snapped his neck. The other goblin was bashed by a fragile looking hand on his temple so hard that it killed him on impact. Only after the fight was finished did the others approach the not even winded Sakura.
"Dead?" asked Tanis as Caramon bent over them, examining them as best he could.
"Can't tell," Caramon muttered, "too dark."
"I can help with that," said Raistlin, holding his own staff forward. "Shirak." The crystal ball atop of is staff flared into light.
Now Caramon was able to get a better look. "Well they're dead alright." The big man looked over at Sakura. "You ruffed them up a bit too much, sweetheart."
The girl blushed. "Sorry…" Guilt that she had let her fox side influence her too much plagued her.
"Well, that's torn it," Tanis said, grimly. "We've murdered two more of the Theocrat's guards. He'll have the town up in arms. Now we can't just lie low for a few days-we've got to get out of here! And you two"-he turned to the barbarians-"had better come with us."
"Wherever we're going," muttered Flint, irritably.
"Where were you headed?" Tanis asked Riverwind.
"We were traveling to Haven," Riverwind answered, reluctantly.
"There are wise men there," Goldmoon said. "We hoped they could tell us about this staff. You see, the song I sang-it was true: the staff save our lives.-"
"You'll have to tell us later," Tanis interrupted. "When theses guards don't report back, every goblin in Solace will be swarming up the trees. Raistlin, put out that light."
The mage spoke another word, "Dumak." The crystal flickered and died.
"What'll we do with the bodies?" Caramon asked, nudging a dead goblin with his booted foot. "And what about Tika? Won't she get into trouble?"
Sakura felt guilty immediately for possibly getting the nice red-haired lady in trouble. "Leave the bodies," Tanis ordered. "And hack up the door. Sturm, knock over a few tables. We'll make it look as if we broke in here and got into a fight with these fellows. That way, Tika shouldn't be in too much trouble. She's a smart girl-she'll manage."
"We'll need food," Tasslehoff stated, running into the kitchen while the rest created the break in scene.
"Well?" said Sturm. "Now what? Where are we going?"
Tanis hesitated, options apparently being thought over in his mind. "We will travel north," he said, finally. "We will escort these two until we come to the crossroads, then we can decide what to do from there. They can go on southwest to Haven, if they wish. I plan to travel farther north and see if the rumors about armies gathering are true."
"And perhaps run into Kitiara," Raistlin whispered, slyly.
Sakura and Ranma gave confused looks while Tanis flushed. "Is that plan all right?" he asked, looking around.
"Though not the eldest among us, Tanis, you are wisest," Sturm said. "We follow you-as always."
"We are grateful," Goldmoon said slowly. "You risk you lives for us, and we are strangers."
Tanis smiled and clasped her hand. "I am Tanis. The brothers are Caramon and Raistlin. The knight is Sturm Brightblade. Flint Fireforge carries the wine and Tasslehoff Burrfoot is our clever locksmith. You are Goldmoon and he is Riverwind-"
"-And I'm Sakura and that's my brother Ranma-"
"There-we are strangers no longer."
Riverwind headed out the door without a word. "Well…some of us aren't strangers."