Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or creations from Rurouni Kenshin. But I do share ownership of the original characters with other authors/readers. There's my disclaimer, so… have a nice day… or night.

The Black Sakura – The Birth of Warriors – By Cherry Chibi

Chapter Twelve

~*~ 1/ Shadow Gates ~*~

Kaoru felt onto the grass floor on her side. Tears shimmering like diamonds in the sunlight. Battousai approached Kaoru and placed a hand on her shoulder. Some birthday it was. Kaoru rested her eyes and withdrew herself deep into her mind being the Black Sakura was just too much, she was getting sick of it and now that her friends are on the line, she couldn't sacrifice Battousai or Shinta. 'Being me is just causing problems for others. I risk other people's lives and they tell me that I'm the one to bring peace among the three realms, it's not fair…' She tried one more time. Searching for any ki. Anyone of her friends. Just someone. 'Wait a moment…'

 "Kaoru, you have to be strong." Battousai said uncharacteristically gently. "Nothing is impossible if you aim for it with determination." Through the two years, he had been aware of something growing inside her that had slowly eaten its way into her happiness. "I know a way which I can become stronger to help."

 "It's not about strength… or reputation… or goals…" Kaoru said. Battousai shifted Kaoru into his embrace. She looked up to him with her mind wall held up to stop herself from reading his thoughts.

 "Then what is it about?" Battousai questioned.

 "You don't need to know." Kaoru replied tiredly. "After all, what ever I say, you'll only get confused." She closed her eyes. "Tomorrow, I figure out something." Silently, she fell into a light sleep in Battousai's hold.

 'Only 3 more years until you can really take up the position of becoming queen.' Battousai thought while he watched Kaoru's calm face. 'If only by then… I have to figure out a way to break this curse that Shinta and I have… if I break the curse then I can obtain my full strength again. But now, with Yumi…' Battousai sighed. Kaoru was really under a lot of pressure all the time and he felt responsible that the girl had to go through so much and he hadn't thought about that part of being her.

Meanwhile, Kaoru's 'light sleep' was causing her more harm than good and when the eerie aura being emitted from her mind had reached Battousai, alarm shook his core. A drop of water dropped from the starry ceiling and down onto Kaoru's cheek.

 "KAORU! STOP!"

~*~ 2/ Abyss of Darkness (it's a spiritual world)~*~

Kaoru walked upon the golden glowing path silent. She gazed up and around her. 'Nothing has changed.' She saw nothing except for the darkness. Pitch black. Nothing except for the golden path that she was treading.

It had been a long time since her last visit here. For some reason, she was afraid of this place. A presence was always there when she descended into the Abyss. But this time, she needed to come here. When Yumi had captured her friends, there was a particular ki that she had caught as she probed all of the surroundings, and places possible.

 "So, you did realize that I was here, Kaoru." A woman landed onto the golden path. Her black hair flowed smoothly and her eyes showed focus and determination of a warrior but her aura felt elegant and feminine. The shadows covered the rest of her face.

 "In fact, I didn't. I just knew someone was here." Kaoru stared at the woman with awe. It couldn't be possible. How was Kaoru like Battousai? Was this woman her other half? Her stronger half? Her figure, her form and ki was like hers and yet it wasn't.

 "I'm not your other half or you." The woman said with a gentle smile. Her blue eyes were becoming warm and gentle. This ki was so familiar. But where? Where had she sensed this ki from?

 "You can read my mind?" Kaoru asked. The woman nodded. The golden light from the path that they stood on lit her face and revealed her identity. It was clear who this woman was. Even if she didn't exactly match the appearance of the person, her height, her facial features were just too much to just dismiss. "Tomoe, why are you here?!"

 "To… mo… e?" Suddenly an eerie confusion rose in her face and it seemed for a moment that the woman was a lost girl in the woods. Kaoru felt that she didn't need to be alarmed. It seemed that this woman was different from the Tomoe that Kaoru knew. "Is... that my name?"

"You mean that you don't know?" Kaoru asked in shock. The woman sadly shook her head.

"It's been a very long time since I've heard my own name or even thought about it. I can't remember my past well except for..." The woman paused for a bit before saying, "Except for Battousai, he helped me once before. We were close friends." A smile appeared. "Even though he killed Akira, he was... I don't know, sympathetic."

Kaoru felt her heart stop beating. Tomoe and Battousai were once friends? But she thought that Tomoe hated Battousai because he killed her fiancé. "Then, why in the real world, are you so evil?"

"My insanity I suppose. One time I felt so lost that I descended here," The woman gestured to the Abyss, "Battousai and Enishi were hurt I knew but I just needed a place to rest, but something happened. It was almost like I felt a curse fall over me and then," She sighed, "I couldn't return to my body, someone or something else is there and I can't get back to my body."

Was that possible? Slowly, Kaoru was piecing things together. "Tomoe, then this curse, does it have anything to do with Yumi?"

"Yumi," Tomoe's eyes flared with sudden loathe. "I never liked her. She was always with her Shishio and sneering at my ability because I refused to help them." Kaoru's eyes lightened and a part of the answer was found.

"Tomoe, I can help you break you curse!"

~*~

AN: Phew! Finally updated. Thanks everyone! Sorry for a short chapter than usual but I wanted to update…

Silver Knight7: Me updated! Yay!!!

Moonlight's Sorrow: It's alright if you didn't review the last, last chapter. *Pulls Moonlight up* Now, I don't need you to be so apologetic. Just enjoy the fic! ^-^ lol. Thanks!

Litto Grrl Stephie: It's alright that you haven't been reviewing. Lol. You're going to have to see if Tomoe will die or not. I've got a great plan. Hehehe... I didn't mean to make Tomoe so evil in this... but... *grins and shrugs* I already did.

RKKL: Cherry: Would you kill Tomoe now? ^.^

Miena: I DAMN WILL! o

Cherry: *sweat drop* How did you get out? -.-;

Yumi: *appears, growls* She's not going anywhere. *zaps Miena* .

Sano: Hey! *futae no kiwami attack on Yumi* Leave her alone! o

Yumi: *big black eye* -.#

Cherry: Sano! How did you get out?! :-:

Miena: *hugs Sano* Ah... he's soooo cute! ^o^

Cherry: *raises eyebrow* You put a spell on him didn't you?! ;

Until Next time!

Cherry Chibi.