A Fairy

Chapter Five

Author's Notes: Finally I have updated. Sorry, it took me so long to update because I was too lazy and I had no ideas, but now I do.

Please bear with me and continue to read my story. Let's see what happens in this chapter.

Nothing is to be seen in the darkness. All is cast to oblivion. How beautiful darkness is. So intense that nothing matters. No one cares. There is, after all, no help. Just a feeling of apathy.

Silence reigns darkness itself. There is no warmth.

What is the meaning of loneliness?

Restless souls dwell within. No candle is lit up to reveal the light to the right path. No solace. No comfort. No hope. No love.

What is life? What is passion? What is destiny? What is love?

Kaoru closed the book. She reflected on the passage, her eyes looking sad, for it reminded her of the pain she experienced from her childhood. Yet, she had hidden powers to be unleashed.

She rested her palm on the cover of the book. Whoever wrote it respected darkness. One who loved darkness that it can bring solace to the soul. But can it really? Kaoru wondered.

She thought of Battousai. Did she have what it took to change him? How could she when she had to be his accomplice? How was that possible?

There was going to be a ball later at seven o' clock in the hotel owned by Takasugi. Social elites were invited including politicians. Kaoru was to be the escort of Battousai.

Kaoru groaned. "I'm going to be stuck with an assassin for the whole night until midnight," Kaoru complained.

"Sounds like a wonderful Cinderella story. Just like a fairy tale."

Kaoru spun around to see who spoke. She gasped in surprised, seeing one of her childhood friends.

A man with spiky brunette hair and a red bandana worn around his forehead smirked at Kaoru as he gave a wink. The tall man placed his hands at the back of his head and said playfully, "Looks like you are going to have fun with a handsome prince, missy. So who's this UNLUCKY guy?"

Kaoru glared at him. "What are you doing here in my room, Sano?"

Sanosuke Sagara did not answer her. Instead, he glanced at the tidy room. He noticed there were piles of books scattered on the mahogany desk, shelves with leather bound books that had been delivered from the Fantasy World upon the request of Kaoru. The queen sized bed was neatly made.

His eyes fell on the black leather book on the middle of the desk. He picked it up casually, flipping through pages.

"Why are you here, Sano?"

"Because I'm bored." He closed the book and looked at the decorated walls Kaoru designed on her own with paintings of the landscape, flowers, and the ocean. He then faced at his now irritated friend. He just smiled, not caring if she would hit him with a bokken.

"You are so organized as usual, missy, but still a lousy cook. I wonder if you will ever make a good cook. I wouldn't be surprised if Prime Minister Koizumi would choke because of your half- cooked tempura, supposing you were invited in his honor."

Kaoru couldn't take it anymore. In a second, she got the bokken under the bed and whacked Sano in the head, so hard that he was seeing stars as his face was contorted with pain. Kaoru gave a satisfied smile, returning the bokken under the bed. She crossed her arms and checking her temper in check, she said, "So are you going to answer my question or not, Mr. Sagara?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he grumbled. "I'm here as your fairy godmother to help you, Cinderella." He rubbed his forehead, the pain now subsiding.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm here to deliver a box." He clapped his hands twice. As a result, the box was floating in the air, beautifully wrapped with a powder blue ribbon. With a wave of his hand, the box floated to Kaoru and landed on her outstretched hands.

Kaoru held it, looking at her friend with puzzled looks. "What's in here?"

"See for yourself, missy. Oh, and by the way, I'm going to be there at the ball. Expect the weasel and the fox also. Tonight is going to be fun and interesting. I feel it in my bones."

Kaoru lit up at the mention of Misao and Megumi. "Really? That's great!" Kaoru replied enthusiastically. But she soon grew sober. "I just remembered something, Sano."

"Hmm?" Sano peered at her.

"Battousai was given an assignment to kill a politician tonight. I know who it is since it is Marko acting as Takasugi for the moment. But there is something I'm more worried about, Sano. Something I can't put my finger on."

Sano just gave a shrug and said casually, "That will even make it more interesting. Just enjoy the party like Cinderella and dance along with the handsomest red haired prince."

"Thanks for the advice, Sano," Kaoru said dryly.

"You're welcome!" he said sweetly. "Just don't forget to drop your bokken, Cinderella," he added with a laugh.

"Sure, I won't forget."

Kaoru sat Indian sit on her bed. "So why are the ninja and the doctor coming?"

"Just for fun, I guess." He sat on the chair by her desk, stretching his legs, yawning out loudly.

"It's more than that, rooster head!" She used her favorite nickname for Sano. When they were young, they would always call each others' nicknames playfully.

"I know, raccoon girl. Weasel girl and Miss Fox are worried about you and besides they want to meet the unlucky prince who is to be the escort of the ugliest raccoon girl in the universe."

Kaoru threw a pillow in response and glowered at him. The pillow whammed on his face making him jump and fall off his chair.

"Serves you right!"

He fell flat on his face. He got up slowly as he groaned in pain and sat on the floor. "Thanks a lot, raccoon girl!"

They both heard the door open.

"Go back, Sano, he's back," she ordered quickly.

With a salute and a wink, he disappeared in a flash.

Author's Notes: How was it? Sorry if it's short! The next chapter will be much more interesting. It will be my version of Cinderella.

Please review! Thank you so much!