Sai Orlianna: Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy.  Sorry it took me so long. Please           R&R

Disclaimer: I do not own Saiyuki; I just like to mess with the characters.

Fate Plays Her Hand

Ch. 6

Storms of the Heart

Time passed slowly on after the tragic events in the mountains; the pain fading with each passing day.  The sun rose once again over the earth, awakening it from its deep slumber of night.  New journeys have begun but one still remains as the journey west continues.  Another day comes as our four heroes continue on their seemingly endless quest toward the sunset…

"Hakkai, how much further, I'm about to die back here!" Goku's daily complaint filtered its way from the back where he slouched in the back seat with Goyjo.

"Not much farther, Goku.  We should be there within the next hour or so."  Hakkai said with a smile.

"Within the next hour or so?! You call that soon?!  I'll starve before then!"  came the exasperated reply from the tired monkey in the backseat.

"Then go ahead and starve to death, baka saru, and save us your constant complaining."  Goyjo shot as he sat back, enjoying a cigarette. 

"Shove it, you ugly kappa."  Goku mumbled under his breath, too hungry to put up a real fight.

"Make me, saru."  Goyjo said with a tired sigh, not really in the mood to fight either.  Hakkai sat in his seat, shocked.  'Goyjo and Goku not fighting?  Something must be very wrong.  Best hurry.'   With a loud squeal from Hakuryuu, they sped faster towards the town.  Hakkai glanced at the pensive monk next to him.  Sanzo had been very quiet the last few days; well, more than he usually is.  Looking ahead at the sky infront of him, Hakkai watched as the clouds grew.  'Great, looks like more rain.'

"I feel so much better!" Goku sighed as he sat back in his chair.

"You better be after all you've eaten."  Goyjo said as he stared at the several piles of dishes sitting infront of Goku. "What did you do, order ten of everything on the menu?"  Goku glared at him ready to start another fight, but the familiar cock of Sanzo's gun silenced him immediately. 

"Well, since we are all finished, Goku, Goyjo, come with me.  We need to go get some supplies as they prepare our rooms for us." Hakkai said, breaking the growing tension as he stood. Goku and Goyjo reluctantly followed suite.

"Why do we always have to go?  Why not Sanzo?"  Goku complained loudly.

"Hakkai, I need more cigarettes." Sanzo said, not paying any attention to the rants of his companions.

"Hai, hai." Hakkai replied as he walked toward the doors. "Come on, you two, we don't have much time till dark."

"Why don't you get your own damn crap for once, Sanzo?" Goyjo cried.

"Now, now, Sanzo has things to do."  Hakkai said in a nonchalant tone as he shuffled the others out the door.

"Like what? Read the paper…" Goyjo's voice faded away as they exited the restaurant.

Sanzo rolled his eyes as the others left.  'Bakas.'  Lighting his last cigarette, he pulled out his glasses and started to read the newspaper.  The sky outside was quickly becoming a dark grey as the clouds began to cluster together.  The light inside the small lounge grew darker with the sky outside.  A waitress quickly went around lighting the night candles.  Other than Sanzo, not very many people were in the small dining room.  At a table not far from where Sanzo sat, two men sat drinking and talking a little too loud for comfort.  Sanzo did his best to ignore the ignorant conversation ensuing there. 

The creaking of wood drew Sanzo's gaze as a figure entered the small lounge. The person's face was shadowed by the hat pulled down over their eyes.  Caution pricked the back of Sanzo's mind as the stranger walked past him.  Peering over the top of the newspaper, he watched as the stranger passed the two drunks and headed toward the stairs that led to the upper floors.  Turning his attention back to the newspaper, Sanzo tried to shake off the feeling of uneasiness. 

"Hey, what happened to my wallet?" came an angry shout as one of the drunken men at the table found his pocket emptied.  Sanzo snapped his eyes up and glanced back to where the stranger had exited.  At the back of his mind, something told him that this might be more than an ordinary pick pocket. 

                                                                           

"That was a great meal! We haven't had that good of food in awhile."  Goku said behind two shopping bags.

"I agree.  We don't get very many decent meals on the road.  Only when we hit a town can we get anything remotely eatable." Goyjo added.

"On the contrary, we had some good meals when we weren't in a town."  Hakkai said as they strolled down the street.

"Oh yeah, name one." Goyjo retorted.

"Well…um…" Hakkai paused as he thought about it.

"Nara! Nara could cook.  She had to be the best cook ever.  She could make water and potatoes a feast."  Goku cried his eyes shut as he remembered her cooking.

"Just like a monkey.  He's won by food."  Goyjo laughed as Goku glared at him, his cheeks a little red.  "Ah, what's this?  Is the monkey blushing?"

"What!?! I can't compliment a good cook?" Goku cried.  Hakkai and Goyjo both laughed as they continued down the street.

"Oiy, Hakkai, what else do we need to get?" Goyjo asked.

"Let me see.  We got the food, beer, first aid stuff…" Hakkai replied as he counted the list out on his fingers. "Hmm… I think all that's left is Sanzo's cigarettes." 

"Well, let's hurry and get them, these bags are heavy."  He said as he hoisted the bags he held up a little higher.

"Hai, hai." Was all the response he got as they walked into the last store on the street.

Sanzo watched the stairs for several minutes before he turned once again to the paper in his hand.  'Not a very good thief to steal from a drunk.'

"Sir?"  he looked up into the bright face of the waitress/hostess. "The rooms you ordered are ready now."  She said with a smile. "Just go up the stairs and turn left.  Your rooms are the last two at the end of the hall." She said as she handed him the keys.

"Thank you." Sanzo stood, walking slowly toward the stairs.  As he reached the hall where the rooms where, he noticed someone leaving their room.  His senses picked up again as Sanzo watched the person turn and walk in his direction, head down and covered.  Sanzo continued to walk, his eyes forward.  As they passed each other, the stranger stumbled, bumping into him.

"Excuse me." Came a quiet voice as he bowed and continued down the hall.

In less than a second, Sanzo had his gun cocked and aimed at the back of the strangers head.  "Hold it." Calmly, the cloaked figure stopped, slowly raising his hands.  Held between the middle and index finger of his right hand was a golden credit card.

"Looks like I've been caught, but, you understand I had to try." The smooth voice laughed a cold and bitter tone evident in it.

Sanzo grabbed his credit card, shoving it back into his pocket, eyes not leaving the pickpocket before him.  That voice, he knew that voice, despite the hard edge it held. 'No…'   

Slowly, the thief turned, removing their hat in the process.  The shocked violet eyes of Sanzo met a pair of icy, hard blue eyes.  "Didn't think I would get far anyway.  It's not easy stealing from one such as you, Genjo Sanzo, I should know."

"Sephira." He hissed.  Once again, she was standing before him, staring defiantly into his eyes.  He hardly recognized her from the proud woman he had faced half a year ago.  The creature who stood before him was pale, as if all color had been drained from her body, and thinner than was healthy.  She looked terrible. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" she spat back.  Sanzo quickly realized that this was going nowhere fast.  His unwavering gaze failed to pierce the walls of spite in her eyes; walls built by a festering pain held tightly by anger and bitterness.  Sanzo knew exactly where it had sprung.  He had seen that gaze in his own eyes many times before, but hers was somehow different. 

"Are you going to shoot me or just point that damn thing at me all day?"  her sardonic remark cut through his mind.  Lowering his weapon he turned away from her.

"Try to steal from me again and I swear I will kill you."  He called back as he walked down the hall once more.

"I DARE YOU!" She yelled at his retreating form.  'Damn it.'    Anger rose anew in her as she stormed down the hall.  'Of all people to meet on today of all days, it had to be him.'

"SANZO!!! WE'RE BACK!!!" Goku called as he, Goyjo, and Hakkai burst into the hotel room and dropped their many shopping bags on the round wooden table in the middle of the room.

"Here are your cigarettes.  Hope your restful afternoon helped you regain your lost strength, Sanzo-chan." Goyjo mocked as he tossed Sanzo his cigarettes.

"Orusai, baka." Sanzo retorted from his seat by the window.

  Goyjo stood shocked.  He had expected Sanzo to pull out his gun and attempt to shoot him, as per usual, but Sanzo just stared out the window as he lit a cigarette.  'What's up with the monk?'   Not wasting any more energy thinking about it, he went back to the table and quickly packed their replenished supplies. "Oiy, Hakkai, I saw a fun looking bar when we went out, wanna go?  I am feeling devilish lucky tonight and I want to win some cash."   

Hakkai smiled at the thought of having some good wine while not sitting in a hotel room.  "Sounds fun."

"Hey? What about me? Can I go?" Goku asked, expectantly.

"Sorry, saru, but this is no place for children."  Goyjo said as he and Hakkai headed toward the door.

"I wanna go!  Not fair."  Goku said, as he slumped onto the floor.

"Gomen, Goku.  Maybe when you're a little older. Ja ne!" Hakkai said as they left.

"Sanzo." Goku watched at the unresponsive monk. "Sanzo…hey, Sanzo? SANZO!"

"WHAT!!!" he yelled as he tore his gaze from the window.

Goku faltered under the glare Sanzo gave him. "Um…eh…I'm hungry." He mumbled out.

"Fine, go eat something." Sanzo said, tossing him the credit card.

"Really? Anything I want?" Goku asked, his eyes huge.

"Yeah, whatever." He said, his eyes back on the window.

"YOSHA!!!!" Goku screamed as he ran out of the room.

"Annoying little monkey." Sanzo grumbled as he watched the clouds finally break releasing the rain it held.  He hated the rain.  Nothing good ever happened when it rained.  'Sensei…' A scream from not long ago, echoed through his head.  Why were his thoughts drifting back to that day.  He tried to push it from his mind only for it to be replaced by the cold blue eyes he had seen mere hours before. The pain he saw in her eyes was worse than it had been six months ago.  What had happened to her in those few months?

The sound of the rain echoed through the quiet room.  Sephira lay quietly on her bed, a small bottle held loosely in her hand.  She tried to force her mind not to think, but her memory was as cruel as the rain.  Her thoughts began to drift back to the past.  Times with her friends, times with her master, times by herself-all ending up on that day.  She lifted the sake bottle to her lips, hoping the bittersweet liquid would make her forget, at least for a little while.  Opening her mouth, she waiting for it to cool her heated mouth, but nothing came out.  She shook the bottle… "Great, it's empty." She sat up and looked at the small table next to her bed.  Several versions of the bottle she held lay scattered upon it.  Sloppily, she grabbed the nearest one hoping it held what she desired.  It was empty. "Of course." She drawled out, her voice slurring.  Standing slowly, she stumbled toward the door.  'Why is the room spinning.  Stay still dammit.'  Falling forward, she grabbed the door.  Taking a few deep breaths to steady herself, she opened the door and stepped out into the blinding light of the hall. She clamped her eyes shut, stumbled again, and tripped.  'Why won't the stupid floor stay level?'  She groped the air for anything to steady herself.  Her hand grasped a handful of cloth.  Pulling hard on it, she regained her balance.

"What are you doing?" Sephira's eyes shot open at the cold voice she heard.  Looking dumbly at her hand, she realized that she had grasped something.  After further staring, she noticed that it was something off white that was strangely familiar.  Where had she seen this color before?  She cursed at her mind for deciding on this moment to forget something she really needed to remember. Slowly, a thought broke through the fuzziness of her brain, 'Why not look up to see who it is?'  She let out a chuckle at the novelty of this idea.  'Oh, yeah.  That might work.'  She shifted her blank stare up and laughed an alcohol induced giggle.

"Hi you…" she breathed out. "Is this yours?" she slurred as she raised her hand to him. "Don't shoot me, I wasn't going to steal it."

'What the hell…'  Sanzo thought as he looked down on the bent form of Sephira.  He had left to retrieve Goku who seemed to have passed out while eating only to run into a very drunk Sephira on his way.  The familiar sent of sake hit his nostrils as she spoke.  He looked down and noticed the empty bottle still clutched in her hand.  'She's shit faced.'

Sephira wobbly straitened herself, dropping the fabric she was clutching.  "Excuse me, sir.  I was just making my way to the bar." She sputtered, a silly grin on her face.  Sanzo grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her back through the opened door.  "Hey, what are you doing?  I'm not going this way!  Let go of me you damn monk!"

He let her go, blocking her path to the door.  He couldn't believe what she had become.  Not only was she a thief, she was now a drunk thief.  How could this broken woman have been the strong leader he once knew.  Somewhere deep within his closed heart, anger spurned.  "Stop this."

"Stop what?  I'm not doing anything.  Don't think you can tell me what to do, monk.  As you can see, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."  Her voice took on a sardonic tone.  'Damn him…why is he here'  "Get out of my way, bastard." He didn't move.  "You think you can stop me."  A slight panic rose in her mind.  'Why won't he move?'   Sephira's eyes began to burn as a drunken rage consumed her.  "I would love to see you try, you weakling.  You useless monk!"  'Don't look at me!'  The rage quickly grasped her mind as she continued to stare into his eyes.  'I refuse to be pitied by you!'  "One of the great Sanzos thinks he can stop me?  Ha, don't make me laugh."  The pain and hatred in her heart burst forth anew as tears stung her eyes.  Her voice rose with the waves of anger, deafening her to all save her crazed ideas. "Whoever made you Sanzo must have been a drunken fool!  A weakling no better than the hypocrite I see…"

  Her mind froze as she hit the floor, hard.  Pulling herself up, she raised a shaking hand to her throbbing cheek.  She sat there, shocked beyond belief.  'He hit me…'  The rage in her mind vanished in an instant as her mind was painfully forced out of the haze of alcohol and hate which held it captive. Tears fell from her eyes as she met the violet storms glaring down at her.  For a moment, time seemed to stop; everything around them froze.  She was lost in the anger she saw there.  Amidst the hurt her words inflicted, she saw a flicker of something else; something she had failed to notice before.  Her eyes widened in shame as recognition dawned in her mind.

"He sacrificed himself for this?"  Sanzo's words shattered what was left of her.  A new pain engulfed her as a fresh wave of tears burned a trail down her reddened face.  She shakily pulled herself to her feet.

Her eyes remained downcast.  She couldn't bring herself to face him, not like this.  "Get out…" she whispered as her body began to shake again.  "GET OUT!" she screamed.  Sanzo left immediately, not looking back as Sephira slammed the door shut.  She fell to her knees, slamming her fists hard against the door.  'Damn it…damn him for doing this…DAMN IT!'

"He sacrificed himself for this?"  His words repeated in her mind, echoing into a thousand voices.

'No…it's not true…'  

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" her agonizing cry pierced the tormenting darkness surrounding her. She slumped against the door, her body shaking as the truth of his words became evident.  'What have I become…'   

"HAHA!!!!  Look at all this!"  Goyjo laughed as he counted his winnings.  "$5000 big ones! Drinks on me, Hakkai!"

Hakkai sat smiling next to him, sipping his glass of wine. "You really cleaned them out.  Do you think you might have gotten a little carried away.  They might need something for the road."

"Hell no! If they wanted to keep their cash, they shouldn't have gone up against me.  I am unbeatable!  Bar tender, another round!" Goyjo called.

"Unbeatable?"  Hakkai raised his eyebrow. "You never lost a game?"

"Nope.  Never.  Not one, ever."  Goyjo said as he downed his glass.

"Except to a blind woman six months ago." Goyjo about choked on his drink.

"SHE CHEATED!!!!" Goyjo cried. "I know she did…I just haven't figured out how yet." He finished weakly.

Hakkai shook his head, trying to figure out if Goyjo was convincing himself that what he just said was true.  From what Hakkai knew, she crushed him fair and square.  "Whatever you say, my friend."

"Exactly.  Now drink up!" Goyjo said as he poured them both another glass.  "Here's to old memories! Cheers!"

"Cheers."  Hakkai sipped his drink as an old memory filled his head; a small smile crossing his lips.

"ROXANNE!!!! YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT ON THAT RED LIGHT!!!!" 

"Shh!!! Goyjo, you're going to wake the whole place."  Hakkai tried to quiet his friend as he helped him up the stairs to his room. 

"Aw, come on Hakkai, sing with me!" Goyjo said, stumbling a bit down the hall.  "ROXANNE!"

Hakkai clamped his hand over Goyjo's mouth in a desperate attempt to silence the drunk.  "Shh!  I think you've had enough fun for one night." Hakkai said as he opened the door to Goyjo and Goku's room.  Goku was already asleep and in the middle of what seemed to be a food filled dream.

"What are you talking about, you had more than me."  Goyjo said as he stumbled to his bed.

"Yes, but I'm not the one singing at the top of my lungs about an old flame."   Hakkai just shook his head as Goyjo lifted his finger in reply, then fell face first into his pillow, sleep grabbing him before he could retort.  Hakkai quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him.  He crept to the next door and opened it with a soft squeak of the hinges.

"Welcome back."  Hakkai  jumped, having expected his roommate to be asleep by now.  Squinting his eyes to adjust to the dark room, he saw Sanzo was once again sitting by the window, smoking a cigarette.

"Where you sitting there all this time?" Hakkai asked as he sat on his own bed.

"Yeah, mostly."  Sanzo replied.

"I see.  Well, do try and get some sleep, we are leaving early."  Hakkai said as he kicked off his shoes and sank gratefully into the soft arms of the bed.  He was instantly asleep. 

Sanzo sat quietly.  Hakkai's rhythmic breathing added to the peace that now controlled the night.  The rain had long since stopped and the moon soon broke through the clouds, shining her light on the sleeping town.  Sleep had eluded him as the image of Sephira's broken form still lingered in his mind.  The look in her eyes as she clutched her cheek was unmistakable.  All her walls were now gone.  The pain had ravaged her enough, what remained now was the vulnerability of not knowing how to pick up the pieces.  Sanzo sighed as he tossed his cigarette out the window.  She would have to find the strength to do that on her own.       

Sephira watched as the light from a cigarette fell before her.  Looking up, she saw the window it had fallen from.  She didn't need to see anyone to tell her whom it had belonged to.  Walking slowly out into the street, she turned and faced the open window.  Once Sanzo had left, her mind shot back to his words.  His sacrifice…her master's sacrifice.  How could she have shamed his memory with her weak behavior.  She had allowed the pain to take consume her, causing her to run from the only family she knew and become what she was.  The realization was more harsh than his words had been. 

'Blasted monk…he's always right.  He was right then, he's right now.  I can't let my master's sacrifice be in vain.'  She lifted her gaze to the stars that now shown down.  'Forgive me, sensei.  I lost my perception.  I promise you now, no matter how hard the grief is, I will go on.'   "I left only a month after he died.  I couldn't stand being in that house without him.  Everything there linked in some way to him.  The others had no idea what the pain was doing to me… I wouldn't let them see."  Sephira slowly lowered her head and gazed into the darkness before her.  "But it was getting harder to keep it hidden.  I began to lash out for no reason, causing more hurt to the others.  So I left.  I thought being away would stop the pain, but it only grew worse.  Soon it became so great that, even if I wanted to, I wouldn't have the strength to face it.  What did you do?  Did you run or did you face it?  It's ok, you don't have to answer."

"Then why ask it?" came the cool voice behind her. 

She smiled as she turned to face Genjo Sanzo one last time. "I don't know.  You were right.  I think I understand you a little better now."

Sanzo watched her; her countenance had once again changed.  The pain was still evident in her eyes, but something else was there.  A new strength shone from her eyes.  He took in her words silently. 

"This is the last time we will see each other, Genjo Sanzo.  If I am sure about anything, I am sure about that."  She smiled up at him.

Something deep inside his subconscious felt relief as he saw a hint of her old pride come back to her eyes.  She took a few quick steps toward him.  Catching Sanzo off guard, she quickly pressed her lips against his.  'Thank you.  You've helped me more than you know.'  Breaking contact just as fast, she turned and ran off into the night.

Sanzo stood stunned.  The moment she stepped forward and her lips met his, he froze.  All his senses shut down for that one instant.  His reactions would never let anyone get that close to him.  Why did they fail him now?  He growled.  That woman always managed to mess with his head.  Looking once more in the direction her retreating form had gone only moments before, he turned and went back inside.

"WAKE UP!!"  Goyjo and Goku both woke with a start as Sanzo fire two shots over their heads, yanking them each out of a deep sleep.  "Get up.  We're leaving, NOW."

"But SANZO!" Goku began, but Sanzo was not listening. "Man, what about breakfast?"  Goku begrudgingly began to get ready. 

Goyjo sat weakly on his bed, clutching his head in his hands.  "I feel like shit."

"Of course you do." Came an overly cheerful voice.  Looking up, he saw Hakkai holding out a mud filled with wait looked like watered down mud.  "Drink this, it'll help."

"What the hell is it?"  Goyjo said, sniffing the new concoction. 

"Oh, just an herbal remedy someone told me about." Hakkai said with a smirk.

"Ok.  Bottoms up."  Goyjo downed the glass, but immediately regretted it.  The fowl smelling liquid was thick and tasted worse than it smelled.  It hit his stomach hard and almost came back up just as fast.  Goyjo clutched his mouth.  "HAKKAI! Are you tryin to kill me?"

Hakkai and Goku were both laughing at their gagging friend. "She was right, it does make one almost not want to drink again."  Hakkai said between laughs.

"She?  This is one of Emma's remedies?  No wonder Rox warned me about them."  Goyjo said, realization dawning on him that the pain in his head was gone.

"Bingo." Hakkai laughed again.  "Now come on.  I don't think Sanzo slept very well last night so we better do as he says, or he might actually hit us this time."

"Yeah, yeah. That stupid monk is so not a morning person." Goyjo said as he finally got ready to face the day.  Within the hour, the four where on the road toward the sunset once more.

"The secret place that nobody knows about…the place where tall trees grow…a place where lots of wild berries grow…Let's go there together."

Nataku? Nataku! Where are you?  What's going on? Nara stood in the darkness of her mind, a dream overtaking her completely.  She had grown accustomed to these dreams.  Since her pact with her other half, she had had many of these and soon learned to pay attention to them.  But this one was different.  A light appeared out of the darkness, blinding her.  As her eyes adjusted, she found herself in a large room, full of people.  Expressions of shock and fear evident.  Looking down, she saw she was wearing a pair of ancient grey robes.  As her senses settled, she felt her fingers curl around something.  She heard a voice commanding her. 

"Kill him…"

As if her body were not her own, she moved swiftly, swinging a curved sword behind her.  She heard a voice scream in attack; she felt her arms swing the deadly sword in an attempt to kill.  She shut her eyes, not wanting to see what happens next.  Her body froze as the sword made contact.  A small metal ping was heard.  Nara opened her eyes and looked through the eyes of the body she was in.  There infront of her, was a boy with brown hair and golden eyes.  Her sword was pressed to his throat.  The only thing keeping the sword from slicing it open was a metal shackle that was placed around it.  She felt her body tense as the sword stayed stationary.  A smile spread across the golden eyed boy's face.

"Nataku, about my name.  It's Goku.  You have to call me that when you show me the secret place."

An immense pain and sadness shot through her.  'Goku?  It couldn't be?'  She felt a single hot tear run down her face.  The eyes turned to him again before darkness shielded her vision.  Nara screamed as a pain like no other shot through her shoulder.  The only thing she heard amidst the pain was one word.

"Someday…"

Nara fell to her knees, clutching her shoulder.  The pain had subsided but the scene she had just envisioned was now burned into her mind.  A pale light broke the darkness once more.  She looked up to see Nataku sitting by a small fountain, his fingers making lazy circles in the water.  His face was pensive and sad.  "He smiled.  I was about to kill him and yet he smiled that innocent smile of his and told me his name."

"What was that?" Nara asked as she got to her feet.

"That was the last time I saw him.  The only person who treated me like I was a person and not a doll.  He was the only one who cared for me."  Nataku looked up at her, a sad smile played on his lips.  "His name was Goku.  He was a heretic like me, but in heaven, the only heretic allowed was the one they used to do their killing.  That was what I did. I was their killing doll.  Their 'War Prince'."

"But you're just a child!  You're my age!  How could they do that to you?" Nara stood a few steps from him, trying to grasp what he had just told her. 

"Because, the one who did it was my father.  The man I loved, yet hated at the same time.  He used me to gain the glory he said was stolen from him."  Nataku lowered his eyes to the fountain once more.  "After I stabbed myself, I blacked out.  The next thing I know, all of heaven is in an uproar over what happened.  Three of heaven's most noticeable men were dead and I was forced to have my only friend's memories erased. They locked him on earth for five hundred years." He lifted his hand from the water, absently shaking the water off his fingers as he continued.  "The pain was too much for me to stand so I locked myself where I knew no one would find me.  I retreated to the darkest recesses of my mind.  I hid for all those years with my grief, until I decided that I had hid long enough.  That's why I came to you." He looked up at her, the smile still there. "You've given me another chance, and I thank you for it."

Nara's heart tightened in her chest.  "You have been locked in your mind for 500 years over the loss of your friend?"  Despite the sorrow building in her heart, a small blush played across her cheeks.  "Is this the same Goku we met when my master died?"

"Yes.  He is the same.  Why do you think he ate so much?  He hadn't eaten for all those years." He replied with a small laugh.

Nara's laugh caught in her throat as tears began to fill her eyes.  "I'm so sorry, Nataku."

"Please, don't cry.  It wasn't your fault.  Fate is cruel, but she can also be kind, if you force her to be.  I have gotten a chance to meet him once more, through you, my friend.  Now I must tell you one last thing." Nara met his eyes as he stood. "This will be the last time we will be able to talk like this.  Beginning tomorrow, our souls will have completely merged."  He kept his eyes locked on hers as he came toward her.  "You will be me and I will be you.  You will have all my memories and my emotions shared and combined with yours.  But, once our souls have merged, my body in the heavens will disappear completely.  They will notice and they will come looking for us.  You must be ready when they do.  You will have my strength and what power I can give you to help."

Nara took all this in silently.  Slowly, she nodded her head.

"Thank you." Nataku said as the familiar golden light shone around them.  He stepped forward and put his arms around Nara.  "I will always be with you." The light surrounded them both as their souls became one.  Nara screamed as the power enveloped her body.  Thousands of memories flooded her mind, filling her with new emotions.  Her knees gave out from under her as she clutched her head.  With one final push, the power climaxed and burst forth. 

Nara awoke with a start.  She was on the floor of her room, sweat covering her body.  She could feel the new power coursing through her veins, as it had that same day five and a half years before.  But this time, it was different.  She shakily got to her feet and walked to her mirror.  She kept a bowl of water by it.  Diving her hands into the cool liquid she splashed her heated face in an attempt to cool it.  She lifted her gaze to the mirror.  Her eyes were golden, just like before, but this time the gold did not fade.  Her eyes remained gold.  The small purple diamond, which had faded before, appeared once more in the middle of her forehead.  She lifted her hand to her face, but stopped as a dull throb went through her arm.  Reaching across, she touched her left shoulder.  Pulling back her small shirt, she saw a jagged scar going from her shoulder to her chest.  Looking up once more, she sighed.  "They will come for me soon.  But they won't catch me so easily."  A smirk crossed her face in expectation of the chase.

End of ch. 6

AN: Well, there you have it.  I told you this story wasn't done yet. Please review and tell what you think