Disclaimer: There is no way that Guilty Gear or any copyrighted material would be owned by the author of this story, either fictitious or real life-based. All the original characters and concepts in this story are the property of the respective author/owner.

Chapter 19: The Midnight Blossom named Aurora

The chirping of songbirds and the peaceful rustling of leaves. It only took the two of these to awaken Zofeah from his slumber. Reluctantly he opened his eyes and looked up to the open heaven. "It's morning…" he whispered and examined the injury on his arm. It was fully healed, and he could now move it freely.

"Young man, you have awakened." He looked to the right, and saw a Buddhist monk sweeping on the floor of the open-air temple. "We were going to wake you up a while ago, but you seemed to be having a pleasant dream. Am I right, young man?"

Zofeah could only let out a lazy sigh and looked back to the sky. "A sweet dream… yeah, sort of."

The monk merely laughed and kept sweeping the floor. "You know, young man, you reminded me of a wanderer who stopped here. He, too, said that he had a pleasant dream when he woke up. Sounds familiar to you, is it not?"

Zofeah looked at the mid-60's man. "Sounds like it is," he answered. Later, he stood up and stretched his limbs and joints. "Well, I think I better get myself going."

"Oh? Already leaving, young man?" the monk asked.

"I'd like to stay, but I have a task I cannot avoid," he told the monk and gave him a salute. "Oh, oyaji, I'd really like to meet this wanderer you had told me earlier. If I got the chance."

The monk laughed again and nodded. "You will have that chance, young man. You will," he spoke and bowed at Zofeah in respect.

Zofeah walked out if the temple and met Chidori who appeared before him in a sudden. "Chidori, good to see you here. What's brought you here?"

"Zofeah-sama, something terrible has happened to the tournament," Chidori spoke.

"Something terrible?" Zofeah asked unpleasantly.

"Haii. Apparently, a warrior by the name of Kusanagi #102796 showed up and disrupted every match around the world," Chidori reported. "And he had done an even worse thing."

Zofeah's eyebrow arched in concern. "Which is?"

"According to several reports, Kusanagi #102796 had attacked the Mayship and abducted one of its crews. He also had interrupted the match between Omega Rugal and Lone Wolf SIX…"

"Did you say Lone Wolf SIX?" Zofeah suddenly asked in shock. "What happened to them? Tell me right now, Chidori."

Chidori let out a breath and proceeded. "Omega Rugal was killed by the warrior. Lone Wolf SIX bravely fought back against him, but…"

"But what? Chidori, what happened to Lone Wolf after that? Chidori?" Zofeah demanded.

"He… he got killed, too…"

Zofeah was struck in total disbelief. The GVS author, he believed as the unbeatable one, died in the hand of the evil NESTS warrior. Clenching his fists, he was now burning in anger. He could not believe that the tournament he expected to flow smoothly would be disrupted by the wrong hands. "Chidori."

Chidori stood up and looked expectantly at Zofeah. "Haii, Zofeah-sama?"

"This tournament has to be temporarily suspended," Zofeah uttered and took a hold of the Shishi belt, "until this unwanted threat is successfully exterminated. I want all agents and operatives to give full order on each and every movement the warrior is making."

"Haii, Zofeah-sama."

"And one more thing," he uttered and looked at his side. "I don't think I'm the only one who knows this matter."

"Hey, Zofeah, what's gotten in your mind anyway?" sarcastically Terry asked. "And you're telling me that this tournament has to be postponed? Aw, that sucks. I was hoping to meet some of the strong fighters out there."

"Unfortunately, Mister Terry," Zofeah uttered and summoned twin kodachi from the buckle, "the opportunity has disappeared because of some people's wrongdoings. As the main organizer, I must take the responsibility to clean this tournament off all stains."

"Well, at least, lower your weapons, okay?" Terry spoke. "I'm not like those people who like to bother things they don't like. Trust me."

For a while, Zofeah looked at the lone wolf cautiously. Then, he lowered the twin blades and put them back into their hilt. "Alright. Let's make a deal. I'll let you helping me into dealing with this problem, and in return you'll have to do me a favour."

"Oh?" Terry responded and folded his arms. "Spit it out. I'm ready to listen."

"I need you to help me to look for someone," he uttered. "Someone very important to me."

X-x-x-x-x

Hikki was silent. Along the day, he did not say a word, even when everybody tried to talk with him. He had locked himself inside his room, and didn't allow anyone to be at the radius of 20 paces. He wanted to ease himself off, especially after the traumatic event of Lone Wolf SIX died in Sana's hands. A temporary period of silence would be necessary to help him.

Or is it?

"Feeling better now, Hikki-san?"

Hikki looked at the door and could only sigh and smile. He nodded at Hibiki, who was entering his room with evening tea carried along. "You know you don't have to be so nice at me," he uttered.

"Why can't I?" generously Hibiki asked and sat beside Hikki. "Haii. Here's your tea."

Hikki smiled and took the cup from Hibiki's hand. "Thanks, Hibiki." He took a sip of it and sighed in admiration. "What do we have here? The best Oolong tea served at Kuradoberi Restaurant. Hmm, I wonder how the restaurant is right now?" he asked and took another sip of the tea.

Hibiki just sighed and looked up to the ceiling. "I don't know. If only Jam-san is with us now. I mean, you're the only person who can tolerate with her behaviour, ne?" half-jokingly she remarked.

Hikki burst into laughter upon hearing the statement. "Yeah, you're right. I kind of miss her loud shriek at the restaurant," he spoke. Then, much to Hibiki's curiosity, he frowned.

"Doushite, Hikki-san?" she asked.

"Everyone's so nice at me," he half-whispered, "Miss Jam, you, my friend Yuu, even Lone Wolf…" Again, he broke into tears before he could even finish the word. His hands clenched the ceramic cup he was holding very tightly. "It never happened in my life before… never…"

"Here." Hikki stopped crying and looked at Hibiki. She was holding a hankie, and it was for him. "Well, I know this isn't my best help yet, but…"

Hikki quickly took the hankie and wiped his tears away. "Thanks. That's very kind of you…" he uttered and kept wiping the remaining tears. "No one has ever offered a hankie to me before. I mean NO ONE. They'll leave me whenever I cried of this and that."

"That's so horrible," Hibiki stated. "How could they do that to you?"

Hikki just nodded and breathed out. "They're totally sucked. I don't mind if they're telling me not to cry because it isn't good for a man, but WHO CARES A DAMN ABOUT IT?! I don't care about whatever the hell they say, and I don't care about whatever the hell they want to know! I JUST DON'T CARE!"

"Demo, Hikki-san, what about…"

"About what? Oh, you mean, about them?" he spoke, stressing on the word 'them'. "I don't care about them, or what they're doing on this world." For the second time, he muted and wept. "Nobody really cares about me… nobody… so why should I care about them?" he spoke between her weeps. "Ne, Hibiki…"

"Haii? Nande?" she voiced and looked at him.

"To tell you the truth," he spoke again, "I don't trust anyone. Not those of this village, or even the daredevils. Yuuki, Robo Ky, Omega Rugal, the PWAB soldiers, I just ignore them. Well, except for Lone Wolf… but…"

"But what?" the iaijitsu woman voiced concernedly.

Hikki looked at Hibiki. "But when it comes to you… I feel somewhat secure. I feel so comfortable with you. It feels like… like I have this feeling that you're like… a sister to me."

Hibiki blushed in response and sheepishly ran a finger through her hair. "Honto, Hikki-san?" She heard no response from Hikki; instead, she saw him laughing and covering half his face with his hand.

"Fool of me. What the hell am I doing? Confessing my feeling to someone I don't trust. Stupid Hikki," he spoke and laughed again. Later, he stopped laughing and frowned. "Strange. I've never felt this joyful before. I…"

Hikki felt something soothingly warm on his hand. He looked at it and realized that Hibiki was holding it gently and contently. "Hibiki?"

"Hikki-san, you're so sincere," humbly she told him. He, too, blushed in response and tried to hide it. Hibiki giggled to see the reaction, causing him to blush furiously. "And you're so kawaii when you blush. Hora, you're blushing again."

"Aw, stop teasing me, Hibiki."

x-x-x-x-x

"Phew, that was a close one," Rock remarked after he landed a Rising Tackle on an agent. "Hey, Ky! How many did you kick now?"

"Shut up, Rock!" Ky shouted back at Rock and fired a Stun Edge Charge Attack at his PWAB duplicated.

"Waaa! Rock, they're too many! Dizzy-chan, taskette!" Hotaru cried and evaded a Robo Ky's missile projectile.

"Hotaru-chan!" Dizzy shouted at Hotaru and snatched her before the missile connected.

"Curse, these people are nuisance," Sanzo mumbled and counterattacked a retaliating PWAB agent.

"Hah! Who cares? I've missed this kind of fighting!" Goku remarked and jumped over a group of raiding Robo Kys.

"I wish I could impress those two girls," Gojyo sighed and lazily tossed an agent. "But who cares, right?"

"Sou, da na," Hakkai replied and fired an energy beam at Robo Kys. "Eh, gomennasai. I guess I was using it too much."

"ALLYOURBASEAREBELONGTOUS!" the Robo Kys responded in unison. "SURRENDERORELSE! SURRENDERORELSE!"

"Alright!" Goku shouted enthusiastically and summoned his Gada Ruyi fighting staff. "I'm getting bored of all your buzzing noises! HAAAAAA!"

.

Sana stood arrogantly on top of the hill. His eyes were watching at the married couples, and the Gensoumaden Saiyuki quartet who successfully defeated the PWAB agents and soldiers in the immense battle at the abandoned mansion. He snickered and looked at April, who was sleeping peacefully under a tree, without noticing the situation around her.

[flashback]
"How not observant I am, to ignore this girl. Heh, I really doubt that you want to know the real situation in here. Or, you might not be able to know."

"Who… who are you?" What… what are you going to do?" she gasped and tried to get off from his grab.

"It's a pity for not finishing the excitement I was having. However, I must leave. There are still tasks I must accomplish before the grand event arrives."

"Let go off April!"

"I almost forgot the promise. Sorry, girls. I can't help you this time."

"But you said you'd promised to find May!"

"Yes, I was. But promises are meant to be broken."

"Sukebe! Sukebe! You traitor! How could you do this to us! How could you!"

"How could I? How should I know? After all, you all are no worthy to question me. And you will never be."
[/flashback]

"Well, little girl," the NESTS warrior spoke and grinned. "Why don't you become my witness? I'm sure you will understand what the world has really got to offer." He turned around and ignited both crimson flame and electrified gale from his fists. "It's game time."

.

The intense battle at the mansion finished. The DS-gumi was succeeded in defeating the PWAB agents and soldiers. They were tired and worn out, and Ky was the most concerned. The knowledge of the Post-War Administrative Bureau actively involved in the 'hardy' business of Battle Revolution was out of the reach of his expectation, especially after one of the agents he managed to detain claimed that all the PWAB wanted was to take over the tournament.

"So, what's your suggestion?" Rock asked while the eight of them were having rest at the mansion.

"I think that I should contact Heidern," Ky uttered and nodded. "He might have some information about this matter. Ah, thanks for tea, Dizzy."

"My pleasure, Mister Ky," Dizzy responded and smiled.

"Hey, what about me?" Gojyo demanded. "Come on, minna. A tough and good-looking man like me should be fairly treated by a gorgeous girl-"

"You're going to eat this first," Sanzo warned and prodded his Spirit-Ascending Gun on Gojyo's head. "Shut up and behave."

"Aw, our Sanzo is so protective at his Dizzy Sanzo counterpart," slyly Gojyo mocked.

"I said DON'T," Sanzo demanded and pressed the gun harder. "Mocking me again and you're DEAD."

Hakkai merely laughed and leaned against the soft sofa. "We haven't had a very relaxed time like this, ne minasan?"

"Haii! I agree," Hotaru answered. "Ne, Dizzy-chan, when are we really getting involved in the Revolution? I'm dying to win a match already."

Dizzy merely giggled and patted the petite Futaba firefly's head. "We will, Hotaru-chan. We will," softly she spoke.

Unknown to everybody inside the mansion, Sana already stood outside the building, with both the elements fully ignited. He grinned deviously confident and opened his Great Serpent Cutter stance.

"Everybody must die. Great Serpent Cutter… CHRONO!"

x-x-x-x-x

It was over. He was now drifting in nowhere, heading toward a destination he had yet to know. Having defeated in the duel, he was in great despair and depression. He had no idea of where was he heading, and his head was feeling torturously heavy.

"Am I dead? If I'm dead, I should be at the heaven by now, but… why is everything so dark inside here? Where am I now? Where's everybody? Where's Hibiki?" He tried to wake up, yet his stiffened body prevented all his effort from persevere. "No, I can't die. I still have tasks to do. I still have the world to take care of. I still have everyone to worry of. I can't die in place like this. I can't!"

Then, he eased off and let himself be drifted in the endless space. "But… I have failed to win the duel… what should I explain to them should I manage to return? What should I say to them?"

"Uhh… this aroma… the scent of midnight blossom… it smells so heavenly… wait. I'm not really dead, am I?"

"The chosen one cannot, and will not easily, be defeated even by his greatest opponent. The only enemy he must consider is his own weakness. It can be his greatest loss if he takes it for granted."

"Who… who's that?" He opened his eyes and looked upward. A pair of tranquil sapphire eyes was looking down at him, staring at him with full content. He later realized that he was lying inside a grace park, his head being supported on a supple lap. He, and a woman who rested his head on her lap, was shun by moonlight lighting the night sky.

"I am your saviour, o Chosen One. I'm the one who rescued you from the heartless warrior of fire." The owner of the eyes spoke. Her hands softly rubbed his bruised cheeks and gently cupped them. "You are safe now."

"You mean… Sana didn't kill me at all?" he asked.

The woman smiled at him. "Yes. I pulled you into this dimension before he managed to land his Destroyer upon you. And I had put him into illusion that he had killed you."

He tried to persist. "But… what about everyone? And Hibiki? What will she think of-"

A soft finger touched his lips, purposely silencing him. "Hush, Chosen One. You still need to rest." The woman reminded.

"But…" He was mesmerized. A serene voice streamed out of her mouth, as the woman who claimed herself as a saviour sang a song, and it echoed all around the mysterious park, methodically caressing and calming every living creature inhabiting the park. He looked up at the woman in admiration, as she flawlessly chanted the song of the Portuguese origin.

Nascer do sol, palavras, milagre
Água pura, uma lágrima
Paz, luz, amor…

Fruto, agreste, respiração, liberdade
Harmonia, vento da benção
Agradecimento…

Tempestade, inquietação, escuridão
Luz do sol alegria graças a Deus…

"Your voice is lovely, like the voice of the owl praising the moon," he praised.

The woman stopped singing and smiled at him. "Why, thank you, Chosen One," she spoke and soothingly caressed his cheeks. "I always sing at times like this. Would you like me to sing more for you?"

He turned around, breaking his eye contact with the woman. "N-no, thanks. It reminds me of…"

"The one outside there?" the woman asked. He could only nod to answer yes. "Chosen One, please don't despair yourself. I know that you want to return to your place, but it isn't the right time. Not for you, not for them."

"Then what should I do? Just laying here and doing nothing?" he insisted. "Though you're too eternally warm for me to resist… curse. I'm not supposed to say things…"

The woman giggled and bent down, placing a soft kiss upon his cheek. "It's alright, Chosen One." She spoke with a radiant smile.

He lay back on his back and looked at the woman. "Saviour, what is your name?" he voiced.

"I am Aurora," politely she replied.

"Aurora… that's a beautiful name," he spoke in adoration. "I kind of like the name already."

"Chosen One," the woman half-whispered and bent down again. She rested her forehead against his, generating soft, radiant glow between the skins. "Rest your mind, body and soul, Chosen One. You may be safe and sound at here, but you will have to wake up to complete what you're supposed to accomplish."

He tried to resist the glow with all his strength before he felt his energy sucked out from his body. "Aurora… you're making me drowsy… I feel like… I'm going to…" he uttered and eventually fell into siesta.