Chapter 23

Kaoru

He lay on the ground, dead.

My evil self had stood behind and stabbed him before he could react. She held up the reversed-edge sword that was covered with my brother's blood.

She...murdered my brother. She killed him.

I was locked in fright. I gazed at my dead brother. My twin brother, the only person I knew closely since we were born.

Everything was quiet. So quiet.

Only the wind howled. But that didn't engross me. I stared at Takehiro. He lied there still. He wasn't going to come back. He was gone.

I reached down and hurled him closely to me. I wrapped my arm around him tightly and cried on his shoulder silently, biting my lower lip.

I have lost a brother.

He wasn't coming back.

And he was gone for good.

"Now..." The samurai came closer and drew up her sword. "You can join him."

She fired and then-

FWAPP!

I heard the whisper of a blade hit the reversed-edge sword. The cursed sword whirled away from the samurai's hand and hit into the floor where the handle broke off.

[ Ax! Get Kaoru away! Everyone, into position! ] I heard Jake ordered.

In a swift moment, everyone was in their battle morphs, encircling around me like a shield. Ax was beside me, a pair of eyes looking at me and the other pair glaring at the fighter.

[ Kaoru? ] he called worriedly. At the corner of my eye, he whirled his tail around me. He looked like he was securing me. At the same time, he was trying to comfort me.

But I didn't want to be comforted. I wanted my brother back.

I hugged Takehiro tightly and tried not to scream. I knew the fact he was gone. And it was because of me. I gritted my teeth hard, not because of the bruises, cuts and my broken arm...but the pain I was feeling inside me.

"Move," the samurai ordered but everyone took their stand. Jake's fur bristled. Ax's tail arched a bit. They were all alert.

[ Oh, sure, we'll move. LIKE WE WANT TO SEE ZACK'S SISTER DIE TOO!!! ] Marco shouted.

[ You've gone too far! You killed Takehiro! ] Jake growled. [ I won't forgive you of that! ]

"The only one you should not forgive is her," she said, pointing at me. "She is me. So she is to blame as well. And besides, her brother had to die anyway."

[ You... ] Jake failed to find the words to use.

"What? You do not believe me? Do you not see the person that stands before you? I am her and she is me. That is all you need to believe..."

[ You're different from her! ]

"Different? How can we...when we share the same fate?"

All those words, I didn't want to listen. I wanted to be deaf.

I hated myself. I felt helpless. Overprotected. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't stop our father from leaving. I couldn't save Sakura from those gangsters. I couldn't stop the vision of Cassie's death from coming true. Now, I have lost a brother because I couldn't do anything.

I wanted to fight. I wanted to do something that wouldn't go wrong. I wanted to protect everyone.

I wanted to...but...

Fight...

I heard them. In my head. Voices belonging to three individuals. Each different.

If you wish to protect.

They sounded like a steady heartbeat.

If you want your friends alive,

They were talking to me. Calling me.

Then you will have to fight for them!

I wanted to... I really did.

Then prove to us! Prove to the Guardians of the Eyes of Karine! Not by your words but by your actions!

It was at that moment I understood everything. I understood what I had to do.

I gazed up to the Animorphs, all defending me, and then to the samurai. They were no match to my dark side, even if the number of five to one was an advantage. Even in their battle morphs, they would easily be defeated or worse, get killed.

I was the only one who could do this.

"I see..." I mumbled to myself.

I gazed back at my dead brother and gave one last hug before I placed him down on the floor and got on my feet. I walked away from Ax's defensive tail. I walked past the three animals that stood on guard. I walked on, until I came a short distance away from them. I gave one glare to my evil self.

This time I knew what to do.

"You said that I am you and you are me," I said. "I don't believe you."

The samurai looked at me curiously. "Isn't it obvious that I am you?"

"Oh shut up," I hissed coldly. "I'm not you. And I'll never be you."

That made her back in alarm but she gave her cold gaze. Before she spoke in her cold hissing, I cut her short.

"Crayak! You think you can force me into killing but you can't!"

Crayak gave a soft chuckle from his place. The eyeball. "And why do you say so? I haven't force you. I have only trying to bargain you."

"Then tell me... If you wanted Jake killed, why don't you do it yourself?" I saw Crayak slightly trembled back. "You can't, can you? You only use pawns to do the jobs. You're as low as dirt."

"How dare you say those words!" Crayak's voice changed, feeling insulted. "I gave you a chance to be free from all the pain you suffered!"

"What pain? If I did what you asked, I would still feel it. You can't erase my pain. I would still feel it no matter what or how you do. You can do nothing to the pain I felt for so long," I told Crayak. "Nothing to me as well."

As I spoke, a breeze began to swirl, surrounding me. A spark of fire ignited and a flow of droplets whirled around. A low calm mini twister of fire, water and wind spun around me.

"I won't run away just because I'm afraid I'll go crazy," I said. "Neither will I run away from my fears and those visions. I'll fight, Crayak! You hear me? I'll make sure no one dies again! I'll make sure that double of mine doesn't hurt anyone again!"

"You fool," Crayak said. "If that's the way you want, so be it! Your dark side will always haunt you for eternity. And slowly one by one, all your friends and family will die by your hands. It shall be a slow progress for you. And it shall only be you to blame."

When he said those words, I felt angry. I wasn't the one to be blamed. I was the one who ignored everything. Now I wouldn't ignore what I had to do.

"You...AIRHEAD!!!" I screamed.

In an instant, fire, wind and water exploded, as if they were responding to my anger. They were surrounding me in a howling cyclone of three pillars of elements.

Each swirling pillar took shape. The pillar of fire formed into a dragon completely in fire. It had a mane like a lion and its ember eye stared at the samurai with leadership. The next pillar of the water, the swirling tip flattened into a snake-like head. Spidery fins emerged from the sides of its head and down along its watery pillar. It had one eye as clear as water. The last pillar of wind transformed as well. This last one took the likeness of a dragon made of rock and had short tusks. It looked solid but at the same time looked ghastly like gas. It also had one eye, just like the other dragons. They each gave a roar, nearly shaking the ground.

I knew who they were.

They were the Guardians of the Eyes of Karine.

"Impossible!" Crayak yelled as he was being pushed away from the dominant cyclone. "Her powers were not supposed to be awakened!"

"Impossible?" a voice spoke. It sounded like it was telepathic. At the sound time, it sounded like it was spoken. I recognized it. It was coming from the dragon of fire. "Nothing seems impossible in the eye of the beholder."

"We have opened our eyes to see the truth," the dragon of water said motherly but harshly. "You let the reflection of our master run free and let its mockery kill the one who holds our brothers and sister."

"We have awakened by the ignition of our master's emotion," the wind dragon said boldly. "And we shall aid her in battle."

With that, the dragons drew back their heads and let out three powerful roars that shook the earth. The creature at Crayak's aid put up his claw to shield himself from the power. The samurai was also being pushed away. For the first time, I saw fear in her eyes. I knew why.

I was changing too. Not morphing but changing. Just like Takehiro.

Light engulfed me inside the elemental cyclone. I felt the power flow within me. The power to fight.

My ears stretched painlessly as my skin faded to a milky color. My hair grew longer beyond my knees and was loosely bind by a metal band that materialized from nowhere. That wasn't the only thing that had materialized.

An outfit of amour cast over my body, made of both cloth and indestructible plates. It was like Takehiro's armor but the shirt stretched above the knees. Reinforced boots wrapped around my feet. My arms and hands were covered with protective armbands and gauntlets. A layer of black covered a third of my face and left a stripe on my other cheek. Finally a thin ring-like headgear appeared around my head and fixed at the sides were the beads that fell from my locks of hair.

My transformation was complete. Actually like how Takehiro transformed into his armor. I felt no pain. Nothing from my arm that was once broken. When I was changing, all my cuts and bruises were healed.

From my right hand, a light glowed. I thrashed my hand to the sky and willingly, the dragons that were towering, dived towards me, each giving a roar. Out of the blues, the light absorbed the charging dragons, modifying into three blades of light. Like data in a computer, the blades were fused to a materializing rod and another set of blades appeared at the other end, changing into a double-bladed battle lance. It shone a brilliant light.

All came to ease once that was over. The cyclone had died away long before the battle lance came to me.

[ No way... ] Rachel exclaimed behind me.

[ What just happened here? ] Marco asked. No one answered him.

"How is it that she and Takehiro have the Jauria Knight Armors?" Erek shouted in amazement.

I gave one look at my enemies: the creature, Crayak and my dark side.

"Hey, Jake," I called. I knew he would listen to me. I didn't look back though. "Do me a favour. If I go out of control...run away."

[ What? ] Jake uttered.

[ Okay, let me quote this: ARE YOU COMPLETELY INSANE?! ] Marco screamed. I gave a small giggle.

[ Kaoru... ] Jake spoke but I cut him short.

"This is my battle. Not yours. And I suspect I'll go crazy again. So please, run away...and live," I told them.

Before they could do anything, could say anything, I took a leap and levitated into the air. I knew what to do. I don't know why or how but I knew what to do. 

"Do you really think you can fight us, Kaoru?" the creature laughed.

And before he knew it, I appeared behind him.

My speed had increased and I had flown past him without him noticing me. He tried to react but he was slow. With a thrust of the battle lance, I drove it at him and a surge of power took him down to earth like a rocket. The ground beneath him crumpled. He was barely hurt but he stared at me with frightened eyes.

"You were saying?" I asked. I gave one sharp glare at Crayak. His living mechanical parts quivered slightly.

But I turned away to my dark side. This battle was between her and me. No one else. I took my position on the ground and gripped the battle lance.

"Reflection against reflection," the samurai chuckled. She rose up one hand, in a blink of an eye, another battle lance appeared at her command. This one was different. It shone a black glow. "Which one of us is the truth while the other the lie?"

"I think you're the lie," I answered and smiled.

Annoyed, my self attacked. She swung her weapon but I endured the attack with a dangle of my battle lance. We fought, weapon hitting weapon. We were almost equal in combat. Almost.

She took a step back and swung a leg at me but I dodged it easily. I thrust the battle lance but she dodged to the left and leapt into the air. I levitated after her and we attacked again. We went on, trying to damage the other. Sparks of light splattered everywhere when the battle lances hit each other. Each strike sent a rain of sparks.

It was like being in Mortal Combat.

The fight must have lasted for nine minutes. Beads of sweat were running down my face as I kept on assailing. The duplicate tried to do the same to me. But our attacks were dodged or blocked by each other.

Then she changed her pace. She charged, holding up her lance as a shield. I tried to dodge it but I didn't in time. She hurled me down. Down to earth. I was coming down at a hundred feet before I felt the ground slamming me.

The pain wasn't as bad as I had expected, only like a sting from my arm.

I screamed. Why? Because my self had speared her battle lance into that arm. I was sure the bones and tissues were broken. I was losing blood. She thrust out her lance and grinned coldly at me. She drew it up again but I pushed myself away fast before she could attack.

I got to my feet but the pain in my arm hurt. I turned back to the battle and she was coming, ready to slash me with her lance insanely.

"Die!" she shouted.

WOOSH! Something flew past in front of her, distracting her.

Suddenly, a giant ball of brown fur dashed at the left of the samurai. She didn't notice it. The furball fired a punch at her ribs.

ROOOAR! The samurai drew back but by surprise, something with stripes discharged a swish of claws at her. Her right cheek was scratched. Jake.

The furball was Rachel. Tobias being the distraction.

I stood there, shocked. I had thought they would have run away but they didn't.

A pair of gorilla arms wrapped around the samurai before she could do harm to Jake. Marco heaved her away as if throwing a Frisbee across the field.

She got to her feet. But as quick as lighting, a blade fired, aiming at the lance in her hand. It fell.

Ax withdrew his tail and arched it, ready to battle.

I didn't get it. Why were they still willing to fight when I could go crazy in any minute?

"What are you all still here?" I shouted. "I told you to leave!"

[ Have you forgotten something? You're still part of this team, ] Marco was the one who spoke first. He was still enraged to see his friend die.

[ We're not going to lose another member! ] Jake shouted. [ Everyone, be ready! ]

[ And besides, Takehiro would be angry if anything happened to you! ] Rachel yelled.

"Rachel..." I uttered. "How can you say that? I broke your promise!"

[ Would you forget about that? ] she snapped regretfully.

I couldn't believe what she was saying.

[ Watch out! ] Jake warned.

The samurai was coming fast. She had her weapon in her hand. She was levitating a few inches off the ground. And she looked angry. She daggered the lance at Rachel but she moved to the left, missing the blade.

"Fools! Helping her will only result in your death!" she hissed.

[ She's gone mad! ] Marco shouted.

The samurai swung her lance continually but gratefully everyone dodged her rapid swings.

She suddenly took a step back, drawing her energy into the lance.

A big one's coming?! I thought. I needed to do something.

Call on my fangs of Earth's winds.

The wind dragon spoke to me. I heard him. I took hold my lance with both hands. I knew what to do to protect everyone.

I gave a heave and a swing of my lance and immediately, shields made of cyclones appeared, enclosing the Animorphs and me. But I knew it wouldn't be enough because my enemy was aiming the power right at me.

A laser beam of electrified power fired from the lance. It broke through my shield and I felt it swallowing me up. It was intense. It felt like you were fired by a gun, only your whole body was burning up. I must have been thrown pretty far away because I came crashing into a Lego building. Probably suffered another rib and the worse wound on my arm.

[ Kaoru! ] I heard Ax shout.

[ Kaoru!!! ] Everyone was shouting.

"It is over," the samurai whispered and turned away.

"W-Wait..." I managed to say. I forced myself up in midair. I could barely walk in my condition.

"I-Impossible! She took a direct hit!" she shouted.

"I-I...can still fight," I mumbled.

"You're as stubborn as you look."

"You're the same for not noticing my trap," I said with a grin.

She was in my trap. The shields of wind that were protecting everyone changed into spears made of cutting wind. They all pointed to one target: the samurai.

They fired, all hundreds of thousands of mini javelins running towards her like a cyclone of daggers. They cut and scraped at her skin and clothes continually. She got so many cuts on her dark-tanned skin that she looked like a wild animal mangled with her.

The samurai tried to get to her feet but the cuts made it painful for her to move. We were even.

But the battle wasn't over.

I dashed, holding up my lance. Even though the pain inside me was agonizing, I told myself I had to fight. The samurai couldn't hold up her lance for protection in time.

KLANG!

She was pushed away by the mighty force I hurled at. The ground beneath her feet was breaking as she screeched away. She panted heavily.

I turned back to the others. I was concerned about them. "Get out of here! There's no way you can fight her!"

[ Kaoru! Look out! ] Jake warned.

I turned and then-

SLASH!

I felt the black lance cut the right side of my face. I went blind on my right eye. With my other eye, I saw blood dripping from my face. The samurai had attacked by surprise, bringing the lance to my face and blinding me on one eye.

She took a step back again. She was going to gather her powers up in the lance again.

The pain in my right eye was unbearable. I held my face to stop the bleeding.

Then...

"Why do you want to know kendo, Sakura? You always smile when you do kendo?"

A memory. It came to me. It was the day I started learning kendo. That day when Sakura was still alive.

"Because I want to protect everyone I really like. Maiso, Takehiro, my family and friends... Even you. If I become strong, I can protect everyone."

It was at then I realized something. Something that I have forgotten.

I have forgotten the truth of why I wanted to a reversed-edge sword and why I never gave up on learning kendo.

Because I wanted to protect. Just like Sakura wanted to.

In the midst of everything, I saw memories, both old and new, flowing in my mind. I saw everyone that I came to like.

My family.

Maiso and the team.

And my new friends.

Jake.

Rachel.

Marco.


Tobias.

Ax.

Cassie.

And most importantly, Takehiro.

In an instant, I understood everything.

I took my position and gripped my lance tightly. I gathered up my powers into the lance. And for the first time. The blades of light were glowing brightly, giving a more furious beam of light.

It went the same for my evil self's lance. It was glowing fiercely black.

She gave a war cry before darting with levitation. She held up the lance, ready to attack me. But I didn't budge. I stayed. All my powers were still gathering into my lance.

The samurai was a meter away from me. She rose up the lance.

But I was faster. I gave a cry.

SLASH!

I charged and swayed the lance. A stretching gash appeared from her forehead down her body. Her eyes went white while a stream of red liquid fell from her mouth. She fell from a height as she had been thrown by my sudden assault. Her headgear broke into two. She plunged onto the ground and lay there, motionlessly.

There wasn't any blood on my lance but on the ground where she lay. I defeated her.

"I-Impossible..."

I looked over my shoulder. My evil self was still alive. Barely.

"Why... Why have I...lost to you?"

"Easy," I said. "Because I have something that you don't have."

I looked back where everyone were standing and then turned to the samurai.

"I have met friends," I told her. "That's why you lost. And that's why I'm different from you."

"...I see."

I watched my clone close her eyes weakly. It was weird seeing myself die in front of me. Even weirder that I was smiling. Because for the first time, I didn't go crazy again. I gazed up at Crayak. He backed away, frightened. I sensed his fear.

"Looks like you lost, Crayak..." I sneered.

I was feeling weak. I dropped the lance on the ground and felt myself edging backwards. I was suddenly blacking out. The battle had left me with a lot of cuts and bruises. I knew I fell. I heard my friends shouting my name. I saw them coming before my vision was going blurry.

It wasn't the first time I ever did this. It happened many times before.

I fainted.

*****

Tigerlily and Gilluin – Well, I did update as quick as possible. And it looks like you two are going to try to get your hands on Ax. Small world for everyone I know of. *Grins* Sounds actually like how Kaoru and Ryo-Mew-Ki will be in a catfight. :P

John – Yes, it was based on that stuff...after I dreamt most of it. I didn't realize that my ideas were almost alike of that from those series. o_o Scary how that happened.

Anonymous-cat – Wow, just one night and you reviewed a lot! 0__0 And yes, I used the Alternamorphs but that was for a baseline on certain parts of the story and also, the whole story takes place between the 1st book to the 30th. Now for your questions. Kaoru is afraid of sharp objects because of something that happened in her past. The being-chased-by-a-Hork-Bajir was what would happen to her and her brother if they did not meet the Animorphs since Ellimist was the one who put it there to eliminate them from existence because of their powers being a threat to space-time. How Kaoru got the box is simple. Her ferret, Paws, who is a rascal, sometimes can crawl go into her bag without anyone noticing. Paws was the one who got out of her bag and into Cassie's barn, found the box and hid it in Kaoru's bag. That's how. And yes, David is in the story...but he'll appear in another book. :P And yeah, Zack could have a better battle morph but I don't know ANY reptile that's as big and active as the Komodo dragon. Plus this morph fits his character. Thanks for all your reviews.

And yes to everyone, Takehiro will live...eventually. *Backs away to see glares at her* Alright, alright! He'll live! Sheez! Never expected Takehiro to get some fans.

Takehiro: Huh? *Blushes*

One thing before I go. I have changed Kaoru's morph from cougar to Snow Leopard. A much better morph. *Hangs her hand in despair* Actually, I found out cougar was taken in the Alternamorphs so I couldn't use that morph.

Thanks to all of you for the reviews! The next chapter will take some time but I'll update soon!