Shadow light

This is chapter twenty! Isn't that great? We must celebrate this! (Shoots some firework in the air) Horay! I want to thank everyone who reviewed my story! Even the people who didn't liked it. I learned a lot of your reviews and my English is way much better then in the beginning! Thank you all very much!

Daydreamer: Thanks again! And that's really a beautiful song you're singing there! :p

Kitty: Thank you very much!

Santa Clause: Thank you very much Santa! I was a good girl this year! ...Can I have a big Shishio plushy?... :p

Reeses: Thank you x10! :p

And here comes chapter twenty!

Prev: The scream went on and Sora's eyes snapped open. Sojiro hold her by her shoulders. She breathed heavy, her eyes searching trough the carriage. "Sora are you all right?" Sojiro asked still holding her shoulders. Sora breathed calm again. She dropped her head back on his shoulder and cried silently. "Please don't leave me Sojiro…Promise you won't leave me…please don't…" Sojiro hold her tightly against his chest. He stroked her hair softly and kissed it. "I won't Sora. Don't worry, it was just a bad dream…"

Sora had slept longer then she thought. According to Sojiro she had slept forty minutes. She was a little bit ashamed for the way she had waked up. For the last twenty minutes they had be talking about the Big Kyoto Fire. Then finally, the carriage stopped and they got out.

A few people from Shishio's army were waiting for them with a few boats. They all got in the boats and they began to sail to the battleship, Rengoku. It wasn't really a ship like Sora had expected. The ship looked like it could sink if you touched it with one of your fingers. Yumi looked like she was thinking the same. Sojiro just smiled, like always. But Houji and Shishio on the other hand, looked quit pleased.

A few minutes later they were all on the Rengoku. Shishio walked over the deck, scanning it with his eyes when he walked. Sora and Sojiro were standing at the edge of the ship. Sora looked at the dark water under them and Sojiro sniffed in the air.

"Shishio-san?" He asked. "Couldn't it be possible that Himura is able to find this ship? We can't be careful enough."

Shishio stopped walking. "Even if he finds us, he'll be powerless. Time will learn…"

Yumi, who was standing against a wall, looked at the ship with a little bit disgust in her eyes. Shishio noticed this.

"What's wrong Yumi?"

Yumi looked up surprised. "It's an honour that I could come with you to destroy Tokio, as a part of your secret operation…But…do we really" she said lowering her eyes. "have to go with this old thing?"

Shishio raised his head in the air grinning. "Yumi, did you fall in love with me because of my looks? You love the man in this body don't you?" He walked to a door of the ship and opened it. "Then look under the skin of this ship…"

Yumi and Shishio walked in. Sora turned around and looked inside. Her mouth dropped open from surprise. So did Yumi's mouth. It was a ship beneath a ship. It was completely out of steal and it looked very strong.

"This is our secret weapon, the Rengoku." He looked at Yumi. "What do you think Yumi? Can you love this?"

Yumi closed her mouth and blushed. She hugged Shishio and laid her head against his chest. Shishio laid his arm around her neck and smiled.

"Houji, the time?"

Houji got a watch out of his coat and opened it. "23:22…" He looked up and looked at the Kyoto. "37 Minutes before the Big Kyoto Fire and the departure of the Rengoku."

Shishio and Yumi walked out of the room on the deck. "Good."

Sora looked at them for a moment and turned around again. She looked at the dark water that was splashing against the ship.

"Who is this Himura-guy?" Sora asked Sojiro while she turned her head to him.

"He tries to stop us. But I know he can't. I was able to break his sword, there's no way that he can defeat Shishio."

"You broke his sword while you were in Singetsu?"

"Yes, but he's got a new sword, a better one. But still, he's no match against us."

"Of course he isn't. He can't be stronger then you two. You are the strongest men I've ever seen."

"Thanks Sora." Sojiro said scratching his hair smiling. "Did you heard that Shishio-san?"

Shishio who had sat down with Yumi looked up at the boy. "What Sojiro?"

"Sora fully believes that Himura doesn't stand a chance against us two."

Sora nodded. "He must be very strong if he can."

Shishio grinned. "We'll see, the strongest shall win…"

Yumi cuddled closer to Shishio's chest. "Himura isn't as powerful as you."

"Hhmm…" Shishio smiled. "We'll find out later…"

The next minutes passed slowly. Houji got some red wine for Yumi and Shishio and Sojiro and Sora looked at Tokyo that looked peaceful now. But it wouldn't take long before it would be destroyed by fire. Finally it was 23:59…But nothing happened… 24:00…still nothing… Houji was getting nervous.

"We had to see the flames already. Why does it take so long?"

Shishio sat down on some boxes, smoking his pipe. "They must fight against more then 5000 policemen. They can't help it."

"They are very late…" Houji continued like he was ignoring what Shishio had just said.

"There are no reasons to hurry. We can just sit here and watch."

"But Shishio-sama," Yumi said holding a glass of wine. "don't you become a little bit nostalgic?" She sat down next to Shishio and laid her arm around his neck. She blushed a little. "Even if this is your plan, your country out of your memories will disappear."

"Hhmm." He smiled. "Why would I be? I'm going to victory." Shishio stood up. "The Big Kyoto Fire is the firework to celebrate my victory." He blew out some smoke.

Sora suddenly heard a sound. Like wheels of a carriage. Suddenly one of Shishio's men ran at them.

"Houji-sama!" He yelled.

Houji turned around to the man. "What is it? Are the fires burning?"

"No!" The man replied. "I saw a carriage, it's approaching us at a great speed!"

"What?" Houji walked to the edge of the ship. Like the man had said, he saw a carriage stopping. Sora looked at the carriage too. She tried to see who got out of the carriage. A tall man in a police outfit, a smaller man with red hair and another tall man with white clothes.

"Impossible!" Houji yelled taking a step back. "How could they know we were here?"

Sojiro turned to Shishio smiling. "You see, they discovered us Shishio-san."

Sora looked at the men again. "One of them must be that Himura-guy…Damn, hopefully he doesn't get in the way…"

Shishio smiled. "Himura knew what my plans were. We can't allow ourselves to waist more time here. But before we go, we have to say goodbye. Houji, call everybody inside the ship."

Houji nodded and ran over the deck, telling everyone to get inside. Shishio, Yumi, Sojiro, Sora and Houji all walked into the control room. Houji closed the door and started to push some buttons. A few seconds later, there was a huge bang and the outside of the ship exploded, allowing everyone to see the steal ship underneath it.

"Who ever Himura may be…He's death meat if he tries to do something…" Sora thought looking trough the window of the control room. Shishio walked on the deck again.

"Shishio!" yelled the little man on the shore.

"This is the black ship of the Meji-Area. It will bring the people of Kyoto their doom…" Shishio started to laugh loudly.
(AN: Can't let Shishio's cool laugh out now can I? :p)

"You look surprised Himura. Good, it would be less amusing if you were not. I see Hajime Saito is with you, and a guy I don't know, but that doesn't mater really…Houji prepare the Armstrong cannon."

"Prepare the Armstrong cannon!" Houji yelled.

"The Armstrong cannon is ready!" yelled one of the soldiers.

Shishio nodded. "Fire."

"Fire!" Houji yelled.

The cannon went of and hit the shore. Sora looked out the window impressed. They had hit the exact spot they were standing. The only one who still stood there was the man who was dressed in white.

"We hit them." Sora said still looking outside.

"Should we fire again?"

"No we don't need the Armstrong cannon anymore." Shishio replied. "Take the Gatling Gun instead. Hurry up and get it ready."

On that same moment, two men jumped on the ship. Sora ran out the control room on the deck. It were the policeman and the little one. Saito and Himura. Shishio looked at them from a higher part of the deck.

"I just want to say, that I like your helpless act. But you'll have a long time to go. You've read my mind and discovered my plan, but because of that, I'll know what you'll be doing too. You both are idiots…"

Sora stood a few steps away from Shishio, looking down at the two men as well. She walked closer still looking at them. The policeman, Saito, looked quit creepy with his hair falling before his eyes. The little man, Himura, the one who always tried to stop Shishio and his plans…looked familiar.

Sora stopped in her tracks, holding her eyes on Himura. Suddenly he looked up, right to Sora. They made eye contact and something snapped in Sora.

Flashbacks

Wait, I have one more thing to say." Said Shishio turning around to Houji. "It will take a while before all the Juppongatana are here. I'm certain that they thirst for blood. So before we take over Japan, we will let them fight against Himura Battousai."
"Battousai…It sounds familiar…" Sora thought when she heard the name Himura Battousai.
"But wait Shishio-sama! There is too much risk to let the Juppongatana fight against the Battousai, each of them has an important task…" Houji said protesting.
…
An eight year old Sora was walking to her room when she heard someone saying her name. She sneaked to the door and peeked inside to see two women who were normally working in the orphanage.
"I heard that Sora Saotome's mother was killed by Himura Battousai."
"By Battousai the manslayer? Poor child!"
Sora quickly walked further when one of the two woman stood up.
…
"Shishio-san?" Sojiro asked. "Couldn't it be possible that Himura is able to find this ship? We can't be careful enough."
Shishio stopped walking. "Even if he finds us, he'll be powerless. Time will learn…"
…
The blood of her mother covered her. Sora looked up with wet eyes at the man who killed her mother. Red hair was falling before his eyes, an x-shaped scar covered his cheek.

Himura Battousai, Himura Battousai, Himura Battousai…

End Flashbacks

Sora looked at Himura. Red hair, the x-shaped scare on his cheek…

"You…" Sora brought out.

Shishio turned around and Himura looked at her surprised.

"You…" Sora repeated only a little bit harder.

"What are you doing Sora? Go back." Shishio said.

But Sora didn't even look at Shishio. She kept her eyes on Himura. Her eyes were full of rage, pain and sadness, but most of all, rage.

"You! Finally! After all these years, I see you again!" She yelled. Her hands were shaking heavy, but she ignored that. She brought them to her katanas.

"What?" Himura asked surprised.

"Finally you are here! So I can kill you! Like you did! Thirteen years ago with my mother!"

End of chapter twenty! Curious? I have much free time, so the next chapter will come soon! Till the next chapter!