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 Thirteen

~*~

"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!"

~*~ 1/ Shadow Gates ~*~

 "Stop dammit…" Battousai gripped onto Kaoru's cold body. He couldn't have failed her again. He couldn't have. She had descended too deep into Abyss of Darkness that her soul had been somehow detached from her body – she was in a way alive but he couldn't reach her. The strong smell of White Plum cursed his senses and he somehow desperately needed to get Kaoru back. "Kaoru!"

The starry ceiling was beginning to drip and ooze with magic of the Black Sakura. Puddles splashed onto the grass floor and slowly the blackness had spread. 'Damn it! All of her magic is undoing, I would be lost in this darkness!' Amber eyes were beginning to become much more noticeable as splashes the ceiling fell and splattered on the ground around him.

Alarmed, he snapped his head around and realised that the door that led him out of the room was gone. The creations of the Black Sakura's magic was melting, causing the walls to disappear and regressing the room to nothing more than a void of empty, pitch black darkness. Afraid that he would lose sight of her, he held onto Kaoru in his embrace. 'Kaoru! Come back!'

~*~ 2/ Abyss of Darkness ~*~

"Tomoe? What's wrong?" Kaoru asked carefully, the woman was laughing noiselessly and she was beginning to worry. "Tomoe? Are you happy?"

"I'm more than happy..." Tomoe said with her gentle warm tone. "I'm so glad." She looked up and suddenly the golden path below them spurted into golden dust and vanishing into darkness. Kaoru was caught under Tomoe's blood red gaze. "I'm so glad that a wrench like you would fall for a trick just out of compassion!" A blade sparked and proceeded towards Kaoru.

"What?!" Kaoru dodged her attack and felt her body weaken. "No..." Total meltdown. She collapsed onto her knees. "What's... happening...?" Sweat dribbled from her forehead and temples. It felt as if gravity had multiplied by one hundred and was pulling her down.

"My, my," Tomoe gripped the handle of her dagger with a proud sneer, "Even at the age of fifteen, you still don't realize that the Abyss of Darkness is where the dead descend to. You don't belong here." Kaoru stared at Tomoe with confusion.

"Wherever there is night, I belong." Kaoru stated, "Wherever there is day, I protect." Her breaths becoming heavy gasps and the smell of accumulated heat wafted sickeningly. An idea was slowly building in her mind as well as a horrible truth.

"Sweet bitter words Black Sakura." Tomoe taunted. "In a world where there is nothing but conflict, suffering and hatred, what could you possibly do? You can never rid of the world of pain unless you kill everything." A sneer accompanied her blood red eyes. Pure loathe and hatred shone and poured into her aura. "You are no one in that world."

"Shut up!" Kaoru felt the weight of the air pour onto her. "I am someone!" Her voice echoed through the darkness and caused Tomoe to back away. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew over to the astonishment of Tomoe and Kaoru. Deep swirling pools of midnight and gold twirled and danced in the air in a deafening silence. "If I don't belong here, you're saying that you do. Therefore," Kaoru darted her eyes straight at Tomoe, "You're dead."

Tomoe gritted her teeth. Her plans have backfired on her. Nevertheless, Kaoru was still weak here because she was still a living being. Someone who cannot stay here for long or else they will suffocate.

"And because you're dead, you envy the living." Kaoru slowly, shakily stood. "You resisted fading into nothing so that you may have a chance of revenge. Is this true? Is that why you are part of Death's Truth? And Yumi? Is it you hate her as well because she can bring back Shishio due to the fact that he didn't want to die and is lurking somewhere in the darkness while Akira," Kaoru noticed that she had hit the right spot. Tomoe was seething and was running out of words to say, "Akira decided to disappear into the darkness."

"Clever." Tomoe muttered. Then the length of her dagger shimmered. "You are truly clever."

"And you blame Battousai." Kaoru concluded. She knew what to do now. It was all clear. "You can still atone." Her compassion returning bit by bit. Something that seemed to have been unlikely for the moment. "Don't forget Enishi." Tomoe was a witch but somehow, she had died, that was why she was here, in the Abyss of Darkness.

"Enishi..." Tomoe's taunting voice again. "He's weak. But he does I tell him to." A sneer stretched. "I wouldn't care for the selfish boy."

"How can you say that?! He's your family!"

"The Tomoe who had love is gone."

~*~ 3/ Shadow Gates ~*~

There was nothing. It was dark. Battousai was on his knees and only had Kaoru in his arms. 'Please come back.' The longer she stayed down there, the bigger the chance that she won't return soon her body would fade to. He leaned his forehead against hers. 'Come back.'

~*~ 4/ Gates of Light (Another spiritual world) ~*~

Two guardian wearing long white dresses that had hoods covering the heads were seated on their knees and were performing a ceremony.

"She needs us..." The younger of the two said.

"Not yet." The other replied. She looked up with her green grey eyes. "The Black Sakura is holding off well." It had been over two years since the two had performed their ceremonies and left the earth. They had been watching over Kaoru for so long without rest. Guardians didn't need rest.

"How about our little sister?"

"She's fine."

"What if..."

"Surreal will be fine. Just listen, we have to watch the Black Sakura carefully now, she down there in the Abyss. We have to do our best to keep her from death."

"I understand. How much longer until this Rebirth Ceremony finishes?"

"Just a couple more days I think."

The two concentrated on a sphere that was slowly growing. "We need enough energy to transform everyone into a warrior for the Black Sakura."

~*~ 5/ Shadow Gates ~*~

Unsure. Alone. Trapped. Helpless. How can one powerful being feel that way? He looked down at Kaoru's face and suddenly blood spurted as the flesh on her cheek split open. He immediately felt rage build. 'Tomoe... that witch...'

A scream of agony escaped and body curled. "Kaoru, come back now! You have to!"

"I... hear... you..." A small voice whispered. But her eyes didn't open.

"Kaoru, listen to me, you have to come back, there are beings here who need you."

~*~ 6/ Abyss of Darkness ~*~

"Kaoru! You have to come back!"

"Isn't that sweet?" Tomoe held the blade against Kaoru's neck. "There's someone up there who cares." Kaoru's hands wrapped around Tomoe's wrist and tried to hold the blade away.

"I won't die." Kaoru hissed. "I don't want to." Tears formed droplets at the corners of her eyes. "I WON'T!" A powerful force pulled Tomoe away from Kaoru and lifted the girl to her feet. Kaoru's hair floated in the air and her bright sky blue eyes flared right into Tomoe's blood red. "I have had enough of you." A bright ball of light appeared in her hands in her fighting stance.

"So you're going to kill me." Tomoe cocked an eyebrow.

"No. Worse." Kaoru's voice had changed. Icier. Crueler. Merciless. It wasn't a teenage girl talking but a woman who was much more powerful. "You think too arrogantly." A spark if blue lightning struck the area between them and then the ball of light shot as a beam straight at Tomoe giving her no chance to run.

Sounds of glass shattering.

A tidal wave.

Fire hissing.

Sanding grinding.

Wind howling.

"What goes round, comes round. Ever heard of that Tomoe?!" Another beam struck the woman and pain struck and burned every nerve in her body. "I'm not a child as you think!"

A scream brought lightning to dance across the darkness.

~*~ 7/ Shadow Gates ~*~

Droplets of water fell. It was raining. How? He didn't see it. He felt it though. And smelt it. And heard it. "Batty, you sure do act a bit hopeless." A small voice tickled a smile onto his face. "I'm sorry for worrying you." Blood was diluting into the rain droplets and smearing from Kaoru's cheek to the shoulder.

 "Did you kill Tomoe?" Battousai asked.

 "No."

 "Then what did you do?"

 "I took away her magic."

* * * *

AN: Ta da! Finished. Hope you guys enjoyed it and I apologize if this chapter was too boring or something. I thought it was alright but I have a feeling that my writing is going downhill since I'm spending less time on it and all. Thanks everyone for your support!