Sakura stared at the ceiling later that night, afraid to fall asleep. She might have another dream about Kanna again. She turned her head to see Ryo sleeping soundly next to her.

'Maybe I should just get it over with and tell him.' She thought to herself. 'I hate having to watch what I say all the time around him. But…' Sakura pushed the thought out of her mind. She didn't want to think about it anymore. She rolled over to stare at the wall, listening to the gently breathing of Ryo, Kero, and White Blaze. Their breathing soon lulled her to sleep and Sakura found herself once again in a familiar forest at night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Illusionist smiled happily. It was about time she fell asleep again. He put his hands around the crystal ball in front of him that pictured her sleeping face.

"It's time for you to see your old friend again, Daughter of Talpa." He said as his patched eye emitted a red glow. Causing the crystal ball, and the locket around Sakura's neck to glow as well.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sakura looked around the forest, afraid of what she might find.

"Hi Kura!" a small voice said cheerfully behind her. She whirled around to see Kanna, holding the familiar red ball, looking at her.

"Kanna" Sakura said shocked.

"Let's play!" the small girl exclaimed as she threw the ball at her. Sakura caught the ball this time as Kanna gave a squeal of delight.

"Kanna, why are you here?" Sakura asked her voice trembling.

"To play silly!" Kanna replied, her eyes on the ball in Sakura's hands. "We used to play together all the time, remember? We would play all day."

"Yeah," Sakura said stroking the ball and looking at it sadly, reminiscing. "I do."

"Aren't you going to throw the ball back?" Kanna asked as Sakura did as she was asked. Kanna smiled then looked at the ball in her hands.

"Why did you stop playing with me?" Kanna asked sadly. Sakura looked shocked.

"What?"

"You all of a sudden stopped playing with me. I waited for you where I always did and you never came." Kanna said. "Didn't you like me anymore?"

The twelve year old girl looked at Sakura with a sad face.

"You have a new best friend now." She said sadly.

"A new best friend?" Sakura asked confused. Kanna nodded as she waved her hand. A mirage of Ryo appeared next to Sakura as she looked on, shocked.

"Him." She said indicating Ryo. Having said that Kanna disappeared taking the fake Ryo and ball with her.

"Kanna!" Sakura called out. "Come back, Kanna!"

Sakura once again awoke with a start, breathing heavily. Sakura looked at Ryo to see if he had heard her yelling. Ryo's back was toward her and he didn't make a move. Sakura sighed in relief; she didn't want him to worry anymore than he already was. She gave a little jump when she felt a warm tongue on her hand. She looked up to see Kero and White Blaze looking at her anxiously. She pulled the two tiger toward her hugging them.

"What is going on?" Sakura voiced to the two tigers quietly. "These dreams are getting weirder and weirder. At least Ryo didn't hear me this time. That was a stroke of luck." Sakura lay back down as she closed her eyes and fell back asleep, thinking of what Kanna had said.

Ryo stared at the wall sadly. He had heard her. He heard her call for Kanna again, and then what she had said about him not waking up. He wished that she would tell him and he was getting tired of her always skirting around the subject.

'She promised she'd tell me. Why doesn't she?' he thought as he fell asleep again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Illusionist smiled as the red glowing stopped. Perfect. Things were going according to plan. One more night and he would have enough of a connection to project images of Kanna when she wasn't asleep. That would be how he would get her to open the door. He walked out of the room with a confident swagger.

'One more night, that's all I need. One more night.'