Shadow Light

I really don't know where to stop this story. I have some ideas of what could happen in the next chapters, but I don't know how to continue after it… Well; we'll just see. Here are the answers of the reviews on chapter twenty five.

Daydreamer: LoL Thank you! n.n Shishio is my favorite anime character! Go Shishio-kun! Go! Sorry about that Wakizashi thingy… I'll remember your hint!

kimberlyann: Hahaha n.n This isn't going to turn out in a lemon… Sorry!

A sequel? The story isn't finished yet you know n.n" And just like I said to kimberlyann, this isn't going to turn out in a lemon, sorry!

Some Slut: Yes, yes…

"Oro" 0bject: LoL, Thank you n.n

Noname: Ya spoiler indeed. With jer you mean jerk I suppose?

KRN-chan (A.k.a: KaoRu-chaN): The story isn't finished yet… n.n"

cool-teen: Noooooooo the story isn't finished yet n.n""""""" Thank you, lol n.n

Kenshin's lover 101: Thank you very much. Ooh, I want to go to London too! Have fun there! n.n

And here is chapter twenty six!

Prev: The young woman smiled and opened the door. "I wish you good luck. I'm sure you'll both be happy together. Now… Goodbye…" "Goodbye Yumi, I'll never forget you!" Sora said turning her head to Yumi. Yumi smiled and closed the door. Sora stared at the door for a couple of seconds and then turned back at Sojiro. He was crying silently. Sora closed her eyes. She tightened her grip around Sojiro and laid her head against his chest, while Sojiro leaned with his chin on Sora's head.

Footsteps echoed trough the hall. Two young people walked next to each other, holding hands.

"Don't you feel bad that you're going to leave this place Sojiro?"

"Yes, of course I do… This was my home for many years. I'm going to miss everyone and everything." He turned to Sora with a smile on his face. A real smile. "Thankfully I still have you."

Sora smiled and pinched Sojiro's hand carefully. "Thank you."

"What do you think Sora? About leaving this place?"

"There are some people I'll remember my whole life long. In a good way. Like Shishio-sama, though he wasn't always the nicest guy. Yumi and Kamatari will stay in my memory too… Come to think about it, almost everyone will. Some in not so good ways, but still…"

"Yes…" Sojiro said, his eyes turning sad again. "Shishio-san. I'll miss him too. The most of all. He did so much for me. If it wasn't for him I would be dead now…"

"I'm sorry for you Sojiro. You know this people much better and much longer then me. It must be very hard for you to make this step."

"Don't worry too much about it Sora. I'll be fine."

He planted a little kiss on Sora's forehead still holding her hand in his own. They walked further, arriving in the room where Usui's body was hanging against the wall. The two fighters stopped, looking at their colleague of the Juppongatana.

"Looks like Usui-san won't get his revenge on Shishio-sama…"

"Huh? What do you mean Sojiro?" Sora asked not understanding what Sojiro meant.

"Don't you know the reason why Usui is blind?"

Sora shook her head.

"He lost his sight in a fight with Shishio-san."

"Grosse…"

"Usui-san joined the Juppongatana but Shishio-san had to promise that Usui-san could kill him if he got the chance."

They walked further, leaving Usui behind them.

"I wonder how Kamatari is doing at the Aoiya."

"They've been defeated." Sojiro replied.

Sora stopped in her tracks, causing Sojiro to look back surprised.

"They've been defeated?... How do you know that?" Sora asked surprised, a look of fear appearing in her eyes.

"I've heard it from Houji-san right before I had to fight Himura-san."

"That can't be! I've seen them fighting! The friends of Battousai had no chance to defeat them!"

The image of Usui's body hanging against the wall flashed trough Sora's mind.

"They aren't dead are they? If they are dead, I… I…!"

"No they aren't dead, relax Sora. Himura-san's friends, and Himura-san himself, don't kill." Sojiro took a step to Sora and stroke her cheek with the backside of his hand. "Don't worry, they aren't dead."

"But what about Usui?"

"Usui-san… He fought Saito-san. Saito-san will never give up killing. But I don't think you can really count him in as a friend of Himura-san."

"But…" Sora protested again.

She was stopped by Sojiro who carefully kissed her on her lips. A few seconds passed and Sojiro pulled back looking Sora in the eyes.

"Believe me Sora, Kamatari-san and the others aren't dead. It could be that they are wounded, but they'll recover. Don't worry too much about it, okay?"

Sora sighed and looked at the wall beside her. "I certainly hope they're fine. I wouldn't forgive myself for leaving if they were dead."

"If it comforts you, we'll pay them a visit after a couple of days. Iwanbo fled. I don't think anyone can find him back now."

Sora looked back at Sojiro and managed to smile. "Okay, thanks Sojiro."

Sojiro smiled back at her and they walked further.

"Do you think Shishio-sama will defeat Battousai?"

"Yes, he has a very high chance. And I don't think that Himura-san can win if he doesn't kill Shishio-san. Shishio-san won't accept that."

After this they walked in silence. Sometimes they looked at each other and smiled. Just happy that they we're together. They walked for some time now, almost more then thirty minutes or something close to it. Just walking, not running, trough these halls took a lot of time. They arrived in the room with the big statue of Buddha. Anji was still sitting on the floor.

"Hey, Anji-san." Sojiro greeted Anji's back.

Anji turned around surprised. "Sojiro? Miss Saotome? What are you doing here?"

"We're going to travel together." Sojiro said tightening his grip on Sora's hand carefully. Like he wouldn't let her go. Sora smiled and nodded, agreeing with Sojiro.

"Does Shishio-sama know this?"

"I think Yumi have told it to him."

"What about the fight with Himura?"

"You, I and Usui have been defeated. It all depends on Shishio-sama now."

"I see." He looked at Sojiro's hand that was holding Sora's. "I hope you won't have problems with traveling."

Suddenly there was a loud 'bang' and the building started to shake, like there was an earthquake. Sora almost fell over because of the shakes, but Sojiro prevented this, holding her in his arms. Another 'bang' could be heard.

"What's happening?" Sora asked looking around.

Anji jumped up, also looking around, like he was searching something. Suddenly his eyes rested on the door that leaded back to the hall where Sora and Sojiro had just come from.

"Houji…" Anji mumbled.

'Bang'

"You two," Anji continued. "Get outside, quickly! I'll join you as fast as I can!"

He ran to the door and disappeared out of sight. Some candles fell over and the room started to burn.

'Bang'

"C'mon Sora!" Sojiro yelled, pulling Sora with him to the exit. Everything was still shaking and more candles fell on the ground.

'Bang'

Sojiro pushed the door open with his shoulder, followed by Sora who was still holding Sojiro's hand. The two young fighters ran trough another hall. Finally they saw the exit that would lead them outside. They both pushed against the door causing the fresh air from outside to brush over their faces. Although they were outside, they kept running, till they arrived on a hill where they had a good sight on mountain Hieï. A big stroke of black smoke circled above the mountain. Sora looked at it, still not knowing what was happening.

"W-what happened?" Sora asked leaving her gaze on the smoke.

"I don't know…" Sojiro replied.

Though, Sojiro had a thought of what could have happened. But, until he was sure of his statement, he wouldn't tell anything to Sora. After this they both looked at the smoke, until Anji arrived holding someone in his arms. It was Houji. Anji laid him on the ground and turned his face to mountain Hieï.

"I found him just in time. He blew the whole system up… Almost everything was on fire."

Sora, who was getting more and more confused every second, still looked at Shishio's burning hideout, like she was looking for answers in the smoke. Suddenly Houji opened his eyes and sat up quickly. Nobody looked at him as they continued to look at Hieï.

"Where am I?" Houji asked looking around. "Anji! Why did you save me? Why didn't you let me die at Shishio-sama's side?"

Anji kept looking at the mountain. Sora eyes were big of disbelief and Sojiro nodded sadly. His statement was correct.

"So, Shishio-san died… And he took Yumi with him…"

Still sitting on the ground, Houji started to cry. Sora closed her eyes followed by a tear that rolled down her face. Sojiro hugged her to comfort her. He wanted to get away from this place with her. Leaving everything behind as soon as possible. It would be better for both of them.

"We should leave Sora. There's nothing we can do here anymore."

Just like Houji, Sora started to cry too. Sojiro looked at Anji.

"We're leaving now. We don't know where we are going to, but we'll see… Farewell."

He turned around, still holding Sora and they walked away.

"Everything will be okay Sora."

Sora didn't answer, though she appreciated everything Sojiro said. But the sadness that had hit her just a few seconds ago was too fresh to believe in such a thought like Sojiro's.

"My mother… Kazumi… Shishio-sama… Yumi… All these people meant so much to me… All these people are dead… If Battousai hadn't existed I wouldn't be an orphan. I wouldn't know Kazumi, Shishio-sama and Yumi… If Battousai hadn't existed… I wouldn't feel this pain in my heart…"

Sojiro was all she had in her life now.

"The Battousai will die before he kills the only thing I have…"

Sora M: (Reads chapter) "Dude, this chapter sucks big time..."

Shishio: (Pointing at chapter) "I'm dead! I thought I was your favorite anime character and now you do something like this!"

Sora M: "I didn't want you to die either, but the story must be correct so…"

Silence.

Shishio: "You don't love me anymore…" (Turns around and quickly rubs his eyes)

Sora M: "What? O c'mon Shishio-kun! I will always… are you crying?"

Shishio: "…NO! I never cry! Crying is for weaklings!"

Sora M: "I thought I saw you rub your eyes and…"

Shishio: "There was something in my eye!"

Sora M: "Yes and my big toe is the king of microwaves…"

Shishio. "What's a microwave…? Does it have a tissue?"

Sora M: (Looks at Shishio with one eyebrow rose)

Shishio: "FOR GETTING THAT THING OUT OF MY EYE!" (Runs away)

Sora M: (Turns to reader) "So… That was some big OOCness from Shishio-kun. I'm sorry if this chapter was boring. I didn't like it really. The next chapter will be better I promise. I'm going to buy some pocky's for Shishio-kun now. Pocky Power! n.n So, till the next chapter!" (Waves)