After a while Sakura's muffled cries turned to sniffling. Ryo let go of her so that he could look into her face.
"Feel better?" he asked. Sakura nodded with a small smile.
"You always know what to do when I need to cry." She told him.
"That's my job." He joked. Soon after that the two heard the sounds of the others as they came home.
"You want to go downstairs?" he asked. Sakura nodded.
"Yeah," she answered as they stood up to head that way. But before they left the room Sakura grabbed Ryo's hand turning him around to face her.
"Ryo, agian I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you about this." She started to apologize before Ryo put his finger to her lips, shushing her.
"It's ok. I can understand why that would be a hard subject to talk about." Sakura smiled as they went downstairs to greet everyone.
"Hey Ryo." Kento yelled in greeting as he saw them come down the stairs.
"Where have you two been all morning?" Alanna questioned.
"Just upstairs having a long overdue talk." Sakura answered. Anubis looked at Ryo's face and could tell that Sakura had finally told him.
'Good for her.' He thought.
"Is it time to eat yet?" Kento voiced aloud as every chuckled.
"Yeah, let's go see what we have." Mia answered as they all trooped toward the kitchen. Dias hung back next to Sakura as they walked in.
"You okay?" he asked.
Sakura nodded, "Yeah, I finally told him. And I'm glad. I hated hiding things from him."
"I'm proud of you," Dais said. "And I know Anubis is too."
"Thanks Dais." Sakura said with a smile. "That means a lot."
Everything was fine until later that night, after everyone had gone to bed. Sakura lay awake, still afraid to fall asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The Illusionist watched her through his crystal ball. "Don't try to fight it, Sakura." He advised. "You can't win. You have to fall asleep eventually, and when you do I will be ready." The Illusionist's patience was soon rewarded as Sakura fell asleep. He smiled in victory as his patched eye once again glowed red, causing the locket to glow as well.
Sakura looked around to see herself in the forest.
"Kanna?" she called out knowing she would be there. The twelve year old girl stepped out of the shadows, holding the familiar red ball.
"You came back to play with me." She cheered as she tossed the ball to Sakura. Sakura caught it easily.
"Why are you here?" Sakura questioned with authority. She was tired of these dreams and she was going to get to the bottom of it.
"To play." Kanna answered sweetly. "Don't you want to play like we used to?" she added uncertainty in her voice.
"Of course I do." Sakura assured her. "But…"
"It's because of him isn't it?" Kanna questioned her silvery eyes becoming angry.
"Ryo has nothing to do with wanting to play with you." Sakura insisted holding the ball in her hands.
"It won't matter." Kanna said mysteriously.
"What? Why won't it matter?" Sakura prodded. Kanna shook her head.
"Nothing." She said as she turned and headed back into the forest.
"Kanna, no wait!" Sakura called after her, reaching toward her. Kanna stopped her back toward Sakura,
"You know what Sakura? You will always be my best friend." She said as she disappeared. Sakura stared as the ball in her hands vanished as well.
"No, Kanna, come back!" Sakura yelled, but it was no use. Kanna was gone.
"Kanna!"
Ryo woke up to see Sakura sitting up, staring forlornly out the window.
"Had another dream huh?" he said sympathetically.
'What's going on Ryo?" she asked dismally. "I keep feeling like she's leading me up to something, but I don't know what it is." Ryo sat quietly looking at her as Kero rubbed his head against Sakura's arm. White Blaze gave a small growl of concern.
"It's weird; she keeps talking about you, Ryo." Sakura said suddenly.
"Me? But she never met me." Ryo replied.
"I know, that's what's weird. I mean, I told her about the time we first met, but… I didn't even know that was you until we met that second time."
"Maybe things will be clearer in the morning." Ryo suggested. Sakura nodded as she lay back down. Ryo put his arm around her waist and pulled her toward him as they soon drifted off to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Back as Seriyu's castle the Illusionist smiled evilly. Just then Seriyu strolled into the room.
"How are things going?" he asked.
"She will have opened the door by tomorrow." The Illusionist replied. "I have enough of a connection to project an image of her dead friend. She will be so shocked at seeing Kanna's "ghost" that she'll do anything."
Seriyu smiled in triumph. "Finally, after all this waiting, I will have what is under that throne. And you, Broadway" he said addressing the Illusionist by his real name.
"Will finally have whatever it is you desire." The Illusionist smiled in anticipation. "Yes, I will." He replied as he left the room. Seriyu turned to look at the crystal ball picturing the two sleeping Ronins. "Sleep well while you can, Sakura. Because once I get what it under your father's throne, I will make due on my promise to kill you." Seriyu then laughed evilly as he left the room.