AN: Hey! Sai Orlianna here. Hope you enjoyed ch.1, but since you are back for this chapter, I guess that means you did. ^_^ Ok, I know I forgot a disclaimer in the first chapter so here it is, I don't own Saiyuki or any of the character (even though I wish I did ^_~), only the original characters are mine. Ok, enjoy this next chapter. ^_^
Fate Plays Her Hand
ch. 2
Unattainable Salvation
Sanzo sunk into the couch, exhausted. His violet eyes narrowed as his mind was ran over the situation at hand. As soon as the strange girl was identified, Emma jumped into action, calling out orders left and right. Hakkai took the poor girl from him and followed Emma upstairs with Nara in tow. Roxanne stayed behind and sat down in silence, waiting for whatever news that would come. Soon after, Goyjo made his way over to 'comfort' her. The only thing that broke the silence of the room was the occasional sound of Nara running to the kitchen fetching anything from cloth and water to herbs and powders. Goku kept trying to catch her to see what was going on, but every time he tried, Nara would quickly rush by him. Goku finally stopped trying and sat down in a huff to wait for the answer he sought. Once again, silence reigned.
"Man! What the hell is going on up there?!" Goku exclaimed. When silence answered him, he huffed and stared to pace.
After what seemed like hours, Hakkai finally immerged from the room. He slowly descended the stairs, wiping his hands on a cloth, a tired look evident on his sweat covered face. Anxious stares followed as he slumped into a nearby chair. A small smile crept across his face. "She's going to be alright."
A sigh of relief escaped Roxanne's lips. "Oh, thank God." She said as she slumped back onto the settee.
"Well? What happened, Hakkai?" Goku asked impatiently, wanting the answers he had been waiting so long to hear.
Hakkai sighed and sat down next to Sanzo. "She definitely was attacked. But it's odd that the worst of her wounds was a few broken ribs on her right side. We reset the bones and wrapped them tightly. They're going to be sore for a few days, but Emma says she'll manage. Other than that, she had only some minor scrapes and bruises."
"Man. Who the hell would do that to a defenseless girl?" Goyjo asked with an angry tinge in his smooth voice.
"I don't know, but let's hope that they don't come back to finish the job." Hakkai replied with a tired sigh.
"Well, if they do, they're going to have me to answer too." Goyjo threatened lightly.
"Yeah, me too." Goku declared with a note of hope in his voice.
Roxanne stood in silence through the whole exchange. A worried expression evident on her face. 'How could this have happened? It was just a simple meeting. Something must have gone wrong. Sephira would not allow herself to get hurt like this.'
"Roxanne?"
"Huh?" Roxanne looked up suddenly as Hakkai's voice cut through her thoughts. "Yes?"
"Emma said she wants to talk to you upstairs."
"Oh, yeah. Thanks." She turned quickly and made her way upstairs.
* * * *
'Where am I? It's dark. Is this death…no I don't think death is this warm, or this soft. Wait? What is going on, I was on my way back and then…HUH!!! Oh no! I have to…'
Sephira's eyes shot open and she quickly sat up, only to regret this decision as a wave of nausea washed over her. The pain in her side shot through her whole body from the abrupt change in position. Gritting her teeth, she slowly laid back down. 'OK, so I'm not dead.'
"Oh, thank goodness, you're finally awake."
A familiar voice filled Sephira's ears. "Nani?" she slowly turned her head to meet the deep green eyes of Emma. "Emma? What…?"
"Shh…you took quite a nasty beating, you need to rest." Emma replied softly. "Here drink this, it'll help with the pain." Emma handed her a cup of medicine. Sephira glared at the cup suspiciously. "It won't kill you. Either take it willingly or forced. Your choice."
Hesitantly, Sephira took the offered cup and drank the dark contents. Immediately, she felt the affects of this wonder drug and relaxed. "What happened?"
"You collapsed just outside and if it hadn't been for that Sanzo guy, we wouldn't have found you till morning." Emma said with relief as she started to check her temperature.
"Sanzo…?" 'Sanzo? The real Sanzo? No, it couldn't be that easy .' Sephira slowly brought her hand to her eyes as a fresh memory came to her. "If you want him to live, find Sanzo-hoshi and bring his sutra to me…"
The sound of a door opening broke her from her thoughts. Sephira turned her head and a smile crossed her lips as she saw Roxanne came in with Nara close behind her carrying a bowl of broth. "Hey girl." She said weakly.
"Sephira? Oh thank goodness, you're awake." Roxanne said, sitting in a nearby chair, her eyes focused on the invalid. "You look terrible."
Sephira laughed. "And you know this how?"
"Because I rule." Roxanne replied with a smile.
"You know, for a blind person, you really have a twisted sense of humor." Sephira shot.
"What can I say, I enjoy seeing others suffer." Rox shot back with a smirk.
"I don't think I will ever understand you." Sephira huffed as she slowly sat up. "On second thought, I'm not sure I want to."
"Here, try and eat this." Emma said as she reached for the bowl.
"Stop it, Emma. You know I hate being babied." Sephira said, taking the bowl and offered spoon from Emma.
"Sephira, …" Emma said as she tried to stop her.
"I can do it…" Sephira gritted replied.
Nara sat quietly at the end of the bed, watching Sephira as she ate. The food sent warmth to all ends of her body, replenishing the nonexistent energy.
"What did you put in this, Nara?" Sephira asked, looking at the young girl.
"Oh, um, well…" Nara stuttered, hoping Sephira would not be angry.
"I told her to do it. It's nothing bad, just one of my rejuvenation herbs. It'll help heal you faster." Emma said in her motherly tone.
"You know me too well I think." Sephira said as she quickly finished off her soup.
"I knew you would never admit you were in pain. So I had to force medicine on you and I knew you hate lying in bed while you recuperate. I told her to so it would speed things up, so I guess you could say I do know you too well." Emma said as she took the empty bowl and put it back on the small table.
Sephira smiled and looked around, noticing the worried expressions flash across the other's faces. She knew the question before any of them asked. 'I guess now is the time.' Sephira took a deep breath and finally began.
"He's still alive, at least that is what the messenger told me." Sephira said gravely. A sigh of relief was heard but Sephira knew it wouldn't last long.
"What happened, Sephira?" Nara asked as her eyes filled with a curiosity.
"When I left here, it took me several hours to get to the meeting place, but I managed to get there on time and, as promised, only one Youkai was their waiting for me. Everything seemed safe, so I approached him and asked where Sensei was. 'He's safe, for now.' Was his answer. His voice held something strange in it that immediately put me on guard. I could tell he was hiding something, but I didn't know what. So as to not cause an unwanted mess, I waited for him to tell me the demands,"
"What are their demands?" Roxanne asked suddenly, wanting to cut to the chase.
Running a hang through her tangled golden locks, Sephira continued. "They want us to track down a certain monk and steal his sutra. Afterwards, we have two weeks to get it to their castle, located above the mountain pass."
"What? A monk's Sutra?" Emma said, surprised. "Did they say who's?"
"Yes, and fortunately for us, the first part is already accomplished." A look of confusion passed over all their faces. What did that mean, already accomplished? After a moment, understanding dawned on their faces, followed shortly by dread.
"Sanzo…Genjo Sanzo? The man sitting downstairs right now? I can't believe it." Nara said in disbelief.
"Yes. It seems Fate has played a hand in our favor." Sephira commented lightly.
"The man downstairs. They want his Sutra? Why?" Roxanne asked, not liking this at all.
"I don't know. But that is their demand." Sephira concluded.
"But…the mountain pass? In two weeks? There's no way!." Emma stated, a note of panic in her voice.
"What happens if we fail?" Nara finally asked.
Sephira took a deep breath, clutching her side. "All he said when I asked him that was that the pain I feel now will seem like a minor scrap to the pain he will feel if we fail."
Silence reigned as the news sunk into the three listeners. Finally, Emma looked up, her face set with determination. "What must we do?"
A familiar light passed into Sephira's icy blue eyes. "If we are going to get there in time, we must leave no later than tomorrow morning."
"But… your wounds…" Emma began.
"I'll be fine!" Sephira cut in harshly. "I am stronger than I look. You know that better than anyone."
"But…" she tried again, but when her eyes met Sephira's, she knew it was no use. When Sephira got that leader's look in her eyes, there was no persuading her.
"The best thing to do is steal the Sutra tonight and make a run for it. We must get as much ground between us and Sanzo's group before they realize it is missing. With the new wet ground, it'll be hard not to leave a trail so we can only rely on speed."
"But how? We can't hurt them, not after all the things they have done for us. It just wouldn't be right." Nara piped in quietly. 'I don't want to hurt him, I just found him.'
Sephira only smiled. "Easy. Emma's sleeping powder. It has worked for us in the past and it has enough strength to knock them out until tomorrow afternoon. All you need to do is put it in their drinks and make sure they drink it. Understood?" Sephira observed the attentive faces of her comrades. "Once that is done, we have to make ready to leave. Nara, you're in charge of food. Emma, you and Roxanne are in charge of the supplies and medicines. We must travel light, so only bring what is absolutely necessary. We leave right before dawn. That should give us plenty of time to rest and get a descent head start."
The four girls just looked at each other and nodded. An uncomfortable silence came over them as the urgency of the situation sunk in. Finally, Roxanne stood. "I guess the sooner we start the better. I'll go start on the drinks. Come Nara, I will need your help. It's a shame though; I was really begging to like those guys."
Emma watched them leave with a sigh. When the door was shut, she turned to Sephira. "Are you sure there is no other way? Maybe we should ask them, they might help us."
"No. Do you think I would be doing this if there was another way?" Sephira said as she stood up slowly and made her way to her dresser. "I know this will be hard. Betraying these guys when they have helped us, but this is our fight and I don't want them involved."
"But you know when they wake up and find out what happened, they will come after us. And when they catch up, they WILL be involved." Emma looked desperately at her best friend, her eyes pleading with her.
"I don't know what else to do. Getting master back is our top priority. Let's just focus all our energy on that." Sephira turned to her with a serious look on her face. "You know you are not obligated to come."
Emma stared straight into Sephira's eyes. "I will not abandon my friends. You guys are all I have. I will follow you to the end, you know that. No matter what end that may be." Emma turned and walked to the door. "Just don't push yourself. You have a terrible habit of doing that and I'm afraid one day you will go too far. I don't know what we would do if we lost you."
Sephira heard the tear in Emma's voice and tried her best to calm her fears. "Don't worry about me, Em. I'll be fine. We'll get through this, as we always do, I promise." Smiling reassuringly at her friend, she turned back to the dresser. "Now, get to work. We don't have much time."
"Ok." Emma said quietly as she left the room.
Sephira watched her leave through her mirror. 'I know you would never leave me. I know you just as well as you know me.' Sephira stared at her reflection, studying her gaze. 'Hold on just a little longer, Sensei. I will rescue you, even if it costs me my life. At this rate, it might just come to that.'
* * * *
Emma entered the kitchen in time to see Nara helping Roxanne finish pouring the drinks. "All set?"
"Yes, that should do it." Nara said as she placed the last glass on a trey. Each glass was filed with a smooth violet liquid that glimmered in the light. "All that's left is your powder."
"Ok." Emma hurried to a cabinet in the back and quickly opened it. After rummaging around for a second, she found what she was looking for. Pulling out a small green bottle filled with a fine white powder, she shut the doors and headed back to Nara and Roxanne.
"The powder will dissolve instantly and won't add any flavor or smells." Emma said as she carefully poured a bit of the white powder into each mug. "We have to be careful because too much will put them out for a week."
"We only need them to be out for a day at the most." Roxanne said with a sigh.
Emma smiled a sad smile and looked toward the door, hearing the guys laughing in the other room. "Am I the only one who feels rather guilty about all of this? All they did was help us out and we are about to repay that with treachery. This isn't right. "
"You're not the only one." Nara mumbled, checking the glasses to see if the powder had completely dissolved. "Are you sure this won't hurt them?" .
"It shouldn't. The worst they could get is a headache, easily mistaken for a hangover considering the amount of wine some of them have drank tonight. Let's just hope they get to their rooms before they pass out." Emma said as she put the bottle away.
"How long till it takes affect?" Roxanne asked, her eyes staring blankly into the wall.
"About an hour. After that, they will rapidly become tired. When that happens, we must get them to bed." Emma said as she checked the glasses one last time.
"Well, let's go then. It's now or never." Roxanna said as Nara picked up the trey.
"Wait a second. Shouldn't we bring some drinks out for us as well, so they don't get suspicious?" Nara asked suddenly.
"Good idea. You two go ahead. I'll pour us some and catch up." Emma decided.
"Ok then." Nara said as she carried the trey out into the living room to serve the drugged refreshments to their unsuspecting victims.
A few minutes later, Emma came out carry a trey with three drinks on it. She smiled and walked over to where the others were sitting. Glancing around quickly, Emma noticed that each guy held a drink in their hand. 'Good. They managed to give the drinks out without suspicion.' She handed Nara and Roxanne their drinks and sat down next to Hakkai when she noticed that something wasn't quite right. 'Wait a second…one, two, three…Oh no. Where did that monk go?'
"Hey, um…where did your friend go?" Emma asked as sweetly as she could, looking over at Hakkai with an innocent smile.
"Oh, you mean Sanzo? He went to bed right before Nara served us these tasty drinks." Goyjo said with a smile as he sipped his drink.
"Is he not feeling well?" Roxanne asked nonchalantly.
"No, he's fine. He always goes to bed early when it rains. I don't know why though. I guess it puts him in a bad mood or something." Goyjo said in between drinks. "This is a really great drink," he said as he turned to Nara, who was giggling at something Goku had just said. "Hey, what's kind of drink is this?"
"Huh? Oh! Um…well, it's a…um…?" Panicking, Nara looked at Emma for help.
"It's a special recipe that only Nara knows how to make. It's made from a special fruit that grows in the northern range of the mountains. They say if you use that nectar from the fruit, you will become refreshed and renewed as if you had slept for a week." Emma lied.
"Well that's interesting. Do you know where we could find this stuff? It could be useful when we get going tomorrow." Hakkai asked with a smile.
"Uh…no." Emma stammered quietly. "We bought it from a traveler who came through here." Roxanne laughed at the panicked tone in Emma's voice.
"What's so funny?" Goyjo asked, looking at the giggling beauty next to him.
"Oh nothing." Roxanne said with a knowing glance in Emma's direction. "I was just remembering of how much fun it was beating you." Roxanne retorted with a laugh.
"You didn't bet me! I just went easy on you, that's all. Next time, I won't be so polite, no matter how cute you are." Goyjo started.
"Whatever." Roxanne continued with a glint in her red eyes.
"Well, you are right about one thing, Goyjo. She didn't beat you," Goku said, grinning. "She creamed you."
"Oh! Shut up, baka saru!" Goyjo shot up. Pointing right in Roxanne's face, he challenged "I want a rematch! Right here, right now!"
Roxanne, not even flinching, just smirked. "You want to have your ass kicked again so soon?"
"We'll just see about that." Goyjo said a competitive look in his eyes. Standing, he pulled a pack of cards from his jacket pocket and headed to the table near by.
"It's your funeral. Come on Nara, you can be the dealer." Roxanne stood, still laughing, and headed toward the table, with Nara in tow.
"Yosha! I'm not going to miss this. It's not everyday Goyjo gets his butt kicked twice in one night!" Goku exclaimed as he dashed over to the table, leaving Hakkai and Emma sitting on the couch. Silently they sat, listening to the game going on behind them as Roxanne badgered Goyjo about the first hand played.
Hakkai quietly observed Emma as she looked down and stared at the purple liquid glistening in her glass. She truly was an impressive person. Even after all that had happened only a few hours earlier, she still had the patience and energy to be a gracious hostess. A tired sigh escaped her lips as she raised the small glass to her slim lips and took a small sip of the cooling drink. Hakkai knew that after a night like this, she had to be extremely tired; however, it seemed that she had more plaguing her than physical fatigue. Something seemed to be weighing heavily on her mind. Hakkai decided to break the silence. "How is she?"
Emma slowly looked up; a tired smile crossed her face. "Better. She will be up and about sooner than you think."
"That's good to hear." He answered with a smile.
"In all the commotion I didn't get to thank you properly for your help up there. Because of you, my work was a lot easier. Even though she was a complete stranger to you, you helped her without question. Thank you very much." Emma said as she looked into his hazel eyes. Something about his eyes captured her. It seemed they held a secret; a secret that part of her wanted to figure out. She quickly looked away as a slight blush crossed her cheeks.
"No, no, I did very little. You were the one who did all the hard work. I am just glad that I could be of service." He said with a smile, a glint appearing in his eyes. "I am quite impressed with your knowledge of medicine. You seem to know a lot about herbs for someone your age. Did you learn on your own or did someone teach you?" When he asked this, the slightest flicker of emotion crossed through Emma's eyes. 'What was that?'
"My father taught me." She said as a small, but genuine smile crossed her lips. She sat back as she continued. "My father taught me everything I know about medicine and… about life." Her quiet answer came as if she was watching a distant memory play out. As quickly as her smile came, it went and the sadness returned to her eyes.
Hakkai noticed this. He knew his next question might not get an answer. "Where is your father?" Not entirely prepared for this question, Emma quickly looked away, trying to the pain in her eyes. Hakkai's eyes never left her face as she pushed back the tears that where threatening to fall. He tied to speak again, but a sudden out burst of laughter diverted his attention. Emma sighed, grateful that his gaze was no longer fixed on her.
"Ha! Goyjo lost agai…!" the rest of the statement was lost in a loud yawn as Goku stretched.
"It's not my fault! If I wasn't so damn tired, I would have won." Goyjo said as he rubbed his eyes, fighting to keep them open.
Hakkai stood and stretched, just now realizing how tired he was. "I think it's time we went to bed. We do have to get an early start tomorrow."
"Good idea." Emma said as she stood, keeping her eyes diverted. "Nara, could you and Roxanne show these gentlemen to their rooms please."
"Hai hai." Nara said as she stood and walked over to Goku. "Follow me." She said as she and Roxanne led the three now exhausted men to their rooms. Hakkai took one last look at Emma before he left. 'I wonder…is she really just tired…'
Emma watched them leave out of the corner of her eye. When they were finally gone, she collapsed trembling onto the couch. 'I'm so tired.' She dropped her head into her hands and sighed. 'I don't know if I can get through this one. I feel absolutely awful.' A single tear rolled down her pale cheek. She quickly wiped it away and willed the others not to fall. 'No, I cannot break down now. I have a job to do.' She sat quietly, locking away her emotions. After a few minutes, she stood. 'I have to tell Sephira. She'll want to know what's happened.' As she headed slowly toward the steps, she heard the footsteps of the others. Looking up, she saw Roxanne and Nara quietly descending the steps.
"Are they asleep?" Emma asked in a whisper.
"Yes. They each fell right to sleep once we got them to their rooms. We should be able to work unnoticed." Roxanne answered just as quietly.
"What about that Sanzo guy? He left before we gave him his drink?" Nara asked.
"I'll handle that. You two just stick to the plan. You each have jobs to do. The clock chimed 11 a little while ago, so we only have six hours to prepare and rest before we leave. Got it?" Emma said in a stern voice.
"Hai." Both answered.
"Good. Now, Nara, start getting the food. Rox, you clean up down here then start gathering the supplies. I will be down in a minute to help." With that, Nara and Roxanne left to begin their individual duties. Emma turned and quietly made her way up the stairs to Sephira's room. 'I just hope they can forgive us for this later. If only they knew…'
* * * *
In the darkness of his room, Sanzo laid quietly on his bed, his eyes observing the clouds through the window above him as the storm finally ended. Soon the moon would be break through, shining in its full glory. Sleep refused to come as he laid there in the dark. 'I finally get a room to myself and I can't sleep.' Sighing in frustration, he sat up and reached for his cigarettes. Pulling one out and lighting it in quick succession, he sat and let his mind drift. 'Why would Youkai attack someone like her and allow her to live with so few severe injuries. The mix of blood loss and freezing rain was what really got her. Something is not right. What are they up to?' This one thought kept bothering him as he finished his cigarette. 'It doesn't matter. This is not our problem anyway. We are leaving in the morning, no matter what.' Flicking the remains of his cigarette, he laid down once more to try and rest his exhausted body, but his mind resisted. 'I don't like this. Youkai, never leave a victim like that, unless they needed her alive.' Slowly, his body began to relax as his exhaustion finally began to take over. His eyes drifted shut as he continues to think. 'There is something not right here. Those girls…are hiding something.' With that final thought, he fell into an uneasy sleep.
* * * *
Sephira was sitting at her vanity pulling her hair back into its ever present bun, when Emma quietly came in. She was all set to leave. When she finished with her hair, she turned and looked up at Emma. "Are they asleep?"
"Yes. They all drank the drug without suspicion. But there is one problem. The monk, Sanzo, he didn't drink it. He had already gone to bed before we brought it out. What do you want us to do about him?" Emma asked seriously.
"You will do nothing. I want you to go make sure we have all the medical supplies we need. I will take care of the monk." Sephira said as she stood.
"What will you do?" Emma asked.
"I'm going to get the Sutra."
* * * *
Nara quietly made her way upstairs, having just finished her preparations for their journey. Roxanne and Emma had gone to bed an hour before, and now it was her turn. She moved swiftly and silently so she wouldn't disturb the peace that had finally over taken the house. The darkness was complete except for the silver moonlight shining through the windows. With the ending of the storm, the night became clear and bright. She entered her room and quickly shut the door, yearning for sleep. 'Tomorrow…no in just a few hours. We will leave to face our fate. The guys won't be happy when they find out the truth. I just hope my gift to them might soothe their wrath.´ A small smile crossed her lips as she thought of the site that awaited them in the morning. She quickly got into bed and fell fast asleep, completing the silence of the house.
Darkness shrouded every corner as the unbroken silence reigned. Somewhere out in the darkness, the silence was shattered as a clock signaled the hour. 'Two o'clock…´ When the stillness of the house returned, a door slowly opened. Sephira quietly walked out of her room into the darkness of the hall. She crept slowly down the hall, her steps no louder than the fall of a feather. She blended with the darkness as black cloth covered her from head to toe. All that was seen of her was her cool blue eyes. 'Emma said she put him at the end of the hall…' Stopping infront of a plain wooden door, she pressed her ear against it. 'Quiet, good, he's sleeping.' Sephira took a deep breath as she slowly opened the door to Sanzo's room. All was silent except for the steady breathing of the sleeping form on the bed.
The moonlight shone eerily into the room, painting a silver outline on anything it touched. His back was turned to her as she moved through the shadows. Looking around hastily, she spotted what she had come to claim, the Sutra. It was rolled up and lying carelessly on the nightstand. She took a step toward the nightstand and cautiously reached to grab the scroll. Her breaths came in fast, excited gasps as her heart raced. Stealthily, her hand wrapped itself around the sutra and lifted it off the table. Relief swept over her as she pulled her hand back and turned to leave.
*CLICK*
Her breath caught in her throat as she froze in place, panic quickly sweeping over her body. Slowly, she turned around and stared into the barrel of a pistol aimed directly at her. Sanzo stood glaring at her, his narrow eyes boring right into her. She shifted her gaze from the gun to his eyes and met gaze his head on. Her eyes held no sign of fear as she stood defiantly before him.
Sanzo stood, unwavering. "Give it back." He said in a commanding voice. She didn't move. Sanzo's eyes grew narrower as the irritation inside him grew. He lifted his gun higher, aiming it right between her eyes. "Give. It. Back." He said in threatening tone. Sephira just stood her ground. They stood, glaring at each other unmoving, unflinching.
Suddenly, Sephira kicked hard, knocking the gun from Sanzo's hand. The gun flew across the room, skidding to a halt by the door. Sephira noted where it fell but her drop in focus, though for a minute, cost her. Pain shook her as Sanzo landed a hard punch to her jaw. Before she could regain her balance from the attack, he grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her back, pinning her against the wall. Sanzo glared icily at her, piercing her eyes with the violet pits of fire that were his. "Now, for the last time, give it back." A smirk crossed Sephira's face, lighting her eyes with a mischievous glint. This new attitude took Sanzo by surprise. Taking advantage of his shock, Sephira raised her knee and connected hard with Sanzo's stomach, knocking the breath out of him. Gasping for air, Sanzo fell forward clutching his stomach. Before he could recover, he felt something prick his shoulder, sending a burning sensation through his strong muscle. 'What the hell…' His mind clouded over as the drug took affect. Sanzo felt his body go numb as he hit the floor. Before darkness completely took hold of him, a distant voice filled his ears.
"Gomen nasi…"
Sephira didn't move an inch as the drug completed its task. She sat there for a minute as Sanzo fell into a deep sleep, then, putting the needle away, she stood. 'I'm glad I brought this. I would be in trouble if he was fully awake.' She rubbed her sore jaw as she turned to leave. 'He's a lot stronger than he looks.'. She reached the door, but turned and looked at the now unconscious monk on the floor. His face was turned toward her illuminated by the moonlight shining down on him. She smiled as she finally got a good look at her victim. 'So this is the man whom I owe my life to. If circumstances where different, I would have to repay that debt. Hmm…He certainly doesn't look like a monk.' Looking down at the sutra in her hand, she walked quickly out the door, her countenance changing. 'Time to go.'
End ch. 2
AN: Well, that's it for now. I will try to have the next chapter up soon, but since I am a poor stressed college student, I don't know what will happen. If you liked it, please review and if you didn't, review anyway cause I do like balanced opinions of my work. Well, ja ne!
