Author's Note: HELLO EVERYONE! I know. It's been a while. You've all probably fogotten the contents of this story, it's been so long since I've updated! I've been swamped with schoolwork and life, bascially. But, Chapter 8 will be up very soon... as in like a week, tops! Enjoy, and don't forget to Read and Review!

Chapter 7

A Mysterious Figure

The Monday following the dance was awkward for everyone and Sakura was now the center of everyone's attention. Of course, no one would dare look her in the eye, and two people have already been the center of her wrath.

She made her way to her next class, which just happened to be Algebra. When she went into the classroom with her books in hand, and a determined look on her face, she realized that she didn't belong here. Nothing that she could ever do or say could make her belong with these people. Her heart fell ever so slightly at the thought that she would never be able to fit in with these people because she was the daughter of a gangster and one herself.

"T…Sakura," Yuki's voice broke into her thoughts.

"Yes?" she looked directly at him and her expression was absolutely emotionless even though deep inside, she wanted to tell him everything about her and what she was a part of. But she also knew that if she told him anything about that, then she would have to pay the price, and her own life would be in danger because of it.

"Are you okay? You seem… withdrawn," he finished.

"Oh, no, I'm fine. I just don't feel like talking too much. Besides," she added with a forced smile. "There isn't really much to talk about when I'm the center of everyone's conversation. And me being the girl that beats people up, they're not going to talk to me now or anytime in the future, so you know, I might as well save the energy, right?" Sakura laughed a bit at the end, but it showed that she was hurt and that as much as she may have acted like she didn't care, she did.

"You don't have to go through this alone," he told her. "You can tell me anything. I'm here for you," his eyes softened as he gazed into her blue-green eyes.

For a moment, she felt that there was a connection with this person that she had with no other. She felt as if she could tell him all about her double life. She turned her head. "I know. But, there are just some things that are best left unsaid. And I have a lot of those. But I know now who to find when I need someone to confide in, I suppose. Thanks," she didn't even bother to smile this time. "If you'll excuse me, I have to use the restroom," she bowed ever so politely at Yuki before backing out of the classroom and running frantically through the hallways to find Uo and Hana. Right now was the time that Sakura needed to talk with them. She spotted Uo talking to an orange-haired boy that she had never seen in this school before. They were having a heated conversation.

"You darn bitch! You're always talking about me like that!" he shouted at her.

"What the hell are you talking about? I've only met you just over two minutes ago, and you're telling me that I've offended you?" she scoffed at this. "You really have poor sense," she crossed her arms as she looked disdainfully at him.

"Hey," I regained my strong voice and I walked towards them.

"Hey, what's up?" Uo waved at me. "Wanna have a shot at this loser? He's been telling me for the last two hours it seems about something that I have no idea about!" she shook her head.

I glanced over quickly at this strange boy before I turned back to Uo. "Listen, we need Hana as soon as possible. Like right now," my voice must've sounded really urgent because she dropped her fight with the boy and quickly said. "Okay, what is it? Did something else happen? You know what, I bet you that Hana's about to show up around the corner," she smirked.

"No need to call me," Hana's monotone voice came from behind them and the boy yelled.

"Where the hell did you come from?"

"I came from over there," she pointed in the direction to his right.

"I knew that! Geez!" he put his hands in his pockets and muttered. "I'm going back to class,"

"Who might that be?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, that's the cousin of the Prince. Kyo, I think his name is," Uo scratched her head. "Yeah, well, anyways, what's up?"

Sakura directed her attention back to the matter at hand. "Listen, you know that weird person that attacked me at the dance last Friday?"

Both nodded their heads in agreement to this statement.

She continued. "Well, I think he may be related in some way to…"

Hana spoke. "The Prince,"

"What?" Sakura said. "What does he have to do with this?"

"You know, when the man pounced on you, Prince glared at him, and he backed off," Uo added.

"Do you really think that's possible, though? I mean really, he's this all popular guy at school, do you really think that he's going to have some sort of a dark past and lead double lives like me?" she shook her head. "I don't really think that sounds realistic,"

"Well, realistic or no, that's the only real proof that we have," Uo said.

"So it would seem," Hana said, nodding her head slowly.

Sakura thoughtfully stared at the marble floors. After a moment, she finally spoke. "I think that's the best thing that we have to work on. We'll go out tonight and see if we can catch the Junnishi at their work. I'm sure at least one or two of them will be out," with that, she stared directly ahead of her. "He will pay,"

Yuki scanned the horizon of the area that he was in. Night had settled in and there were no disturbances in the silence.

"I guess the girls' haven't shown up yet,"

As soon as he thought that, a flutter of black brought Sakura, Uo, and Hana in his presence.

"Sorry we're late. We were preoccupied," Sakura's lip curled.

"You ready to get your ass kicked to Spain?" Uo said as she brandished the blade of a kendo sword.

"Wait," Sakura put out a hand to restrain her.

Uo paused and was about to say something but decided against it, and returned the sword back to it's hilt.

As Sakura started to walk towards him, she narrowed her eyes.

"What was your reason for killing my mother?" she put her face up to his and extracted a finger to gently trace around the features of his face. "What did you think you would gain from it?" she looked at him with her head to one side. "A life lost, a family torn apart; is that what you wanted?"

He looked into her sparkling eyes. "No,"

"Oh, really?" she said with mock surprise. "Then was there another reason? Revenge for something? Or, was it just," she shrugged her shoulders. "Out of pure spite? Do you enjoy killing people?" Sakura's voice suddenly rose and she yelled at him, grabbing his shirt. "DO YOU?"

When she received no answer, she advanced. "DO YOU? ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!"

Yuki had nothing to say. He stood there like a lifeless doll. "I'm sorry,"

"YEAH, YOU'RE SORRY?" she paced to and fro in front of him, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She stared up at him with disbelief and anger in her features. Her voice started to shake. "'Sorry' isn't going to cut it. You're not off the hook," she swallowed hard as she tried to keep the tears invisible to her nemesis. "You will pay for this,"

"Ah, Yuki. What a pleasant surprise. Funny running into you here of all places," the cool voice of none other than Akito Sohma came from within the shadows. The shadows released her, and she was exposed for everyone to see.

"Akito?" Yuki whispered in disbelief.

She smiled ruthlessly. "And this must be little Tohru Honda. My, you've grown quite a bit, I think. Last time I saw you, you were about, four? I think you've grown confidence too. You remind me so much of your mother," she cocked her head. "But, she was too easy. Didn't know what she was in for," Akito advanced towards Sakura and put a hand out to touch her cheek.

"She died to save you, you know. If she had just handed you over, none of this would have happened. You're mother would still be alive," she whispered in her ear.

"No!" Sakura lashed out at Akito's face, leaving a small trail of blood on her face.

She put out a hand to her face and rubbed the blood between her fingers. "You're not very bright, either. You should know better than to mess with me. You're mother may have died, but that isn't going to prevent me from getting what I want. And that's you. You're the missing piece to the rest of the puzzle. The chosen one. Come with me, I can fulfill your most wildest dreams," she smiled.

"YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!" none of this registered into her mind. The only thing that she knew was that this woman had killed the one person she loved in the world. And now she wanted her to follow her and her empty promises? "I'm not doing anything that has to deal with you except finishing you off for good! 'Come with me, I can fulfill your most wildest dreams' OVER MY DEAD BODY!" Sakura screamed.

"Now, Tohru, you don't mean that," Akito smiled a smile that she apparently thought was to be motherly.

"I do! I'd rather die than do anything for you!"

Akito looked bored for a second. "Oh, very well. If that's the way it must be," with a snap of her fingers, at least a dozen men seemed to leap from the shadows and encircled Sakura, Hana, Uo, and Yuki. "It didn't need to be this way, Tohru. I would have spared your life. But I guess your dignity, shall we call it? Got in the way," she smirked. "Enjoying the show, Yuki? You'll be our grand finale. One on one, with our darling Tohru. A fight to the death," she directed her stare towards Sakura. "One where you'll be dying. Do you want the epitaph to read 'Tohru' or 'Sakura?' she cackled maliciously.

Then, the fighting began.