I present You the first hanchan between Saki and Koromo. Poor 'sacrifice', especially Tomoki. But there is a need for those, as they permit to show the potential Saki has. I hope I managed to portray a good and interesting match, especially I feel like the first part could be better, but I don't know how.

-Caexah/Vein's Simply Tired/EXpertUS: Thank you, I really am trying my best to make this story interesting and pleasing to read, and grammar does play a role. I hope You enjoy that first hanchan.

-nightsentinel09: Saki in ryumoncuchi was was just a too appealing idea , and yes Saki and Koromo are Two birds of a feather so... It was to be done.

As for the game, I knew Saki should probably be able to track the game, But don't forget who she is playing against. It is almost a three on one where they extend the dealership the most they can and don't even say the points aloud, just show the hand. That makes thing harder for a girl like Saki who take time to get used to new environments.

And who said her mother was entirely wrong, As we know, in Sakiverse, Luck does not exist as a random thing. Or maybe it was just bad luck, I don't know.

-stealthmomo: Yes , Saki and Koromo are really too cute. They are my favorite in Saki by far, but come close to each other. Still my favorite is and will always be Saki herself.

Sorry, Touka here is more like the mother/ father figure for the two estranged orphan that are Koromo/Saki, so no romantic love toward her. She is Hajime's preserved hunt.

Disclaimer: I don't own Saki, I still owe her though

A garden under the Moon 4

Moon's light, Flower's root.

Amae Koromo's room was rather dark; only , lighten by candles and the eerie moonlight. Apart from the mahjong table it looked like it was just out of a fairy tale. One that still hadn't found its happy ending Saki thought.

'Well, fairy tales are not really happy after all' She looked at the collar around her opponent's neck. She had heard she was a little of a prisoner but she did not think they would take it that far. She once more felt like she really had found someone she wanted to help, But could she?

While she was looking around the room, waiting hesitantly for a signal, Jun had sat to the right of the table and Tomoki took the left and made a sign to her, she could apparently sit .

"Thank you" Saki apologized, she should not let her though wander like that. She picked the last chair, the one in front of Koromo, in front of the window. She couldn't help but find the girl cute, even if she was clearly powerful.

The aura that guided her that morning was probably hers.

From where she was she could see the first ray of the moon peeking from behind the mountain and creating Koromo's silhouette.

As the master of the house, and the seemingly luckiest one, Koromo was the first East, but for some reason she didn't seem too happy about it." Let's start our little game"

Saki had said she wanted to be Koromo's friend , and for that she needed to prove herself worthy of it. But she was not totally convinced she could go all out, and for some reason she did not feel alright, like there was something dragging her.

So , unlike usual , she decided to get a head start. The flow had been in her favor from the get go and she really wanted to show her friend-to-be her capacity.

Three turns in the game and she was already inshanten , with two triplets ready. The hand was already hers.

Still, as she had always done she was weary . As hers was about to come Jun called a pon from Tomoki, stealing her turn and moving the flow, proving that she was right.

'Yes , that's right, she can feel the flow. But I managed to get around before, and I will still do now' Saki thought as she looked at Koromo reaction.

She had know the tall girl for longer than her, so she should know why she had made that call. But Koromo had a surprised expression, hadn't she expect it?

Maybe she was surprised to know her hand was going that quickly, or maybe it was something else completely as after the surprise came a smile that would have frightened any normal person.

Good for her, Saki knew for sure that she wasn't. 'What could she be planning?

After that Koromo drew the tile that should have been hers and decided to keep it. It seemed she was also in need of it. Bad luck for Saki but she was far from finished.

Saki knew how to hide in the flow.

"Chi" Saki called. It broke on of her pon, but she could not do what she wished with it any more so she had to plan something better for the next turn she threw the two tiles of the incomplete the sequence she had, seemingly folding, but in truth she was just preparing for what was to come.

And quickly her hand was ready anew , this time with the four west at the ready. When she drew the last tile of an other triplet she called her west kan, taking note of the slight sneer the childlike girl made.

"Kan" , She extended her hand with the assurance she only had in those moments, before collapsing her tiles. "Tsumo, Rinshan kaihou, Sha,"

There was comptempt resignation, along with relief, in the eyes of Tomoki and Jun as she declared her hand. Whereas Koromo looked somewhat disbelieving. "2000/3900"

While she took the point, she felt the pressure grew thicker.

"You indeed are interesting, Let's see if you manage to not draw" Koromo told her as the second hand started.

The second hand was a lot stranger than the first one and slow to materialize, as if dragged under the water. It was not the first time it happened to her , but here she was locked in ishanten for more than 10 turns and it seemed like the two others did not fair better even so Jun had made multiple call.

Koromo had also made a call, a chi on a 1Dot, before throwing out a 4 dot the turn after.

It was a strange call, as she was giving all sign of a Tanyao hand, but not unheard of.

They were approaching the last draw , that would come to Koromo if things did not change and Saki could feel like the others were preparing for it. Along with the amplifying impression that something was restricting her hand she decided to fold , and observe, she had already a small head-start, after all.

And Saki had to admit, once in the first place she felt outside of her territory.

One turn before the end, the little blonde had predatory smile that made her thought of her family.

As Koromo drew the Haitei the flower loving girl saw that the Full moon was now in the sky, between her rabbit's ears-like hairband.

'So, that's what Touka meant when she talked about the moon'

"Tsumo , East, Haitei Raoyue, 3Dora. 2000/4000 "

"Hi" Saki said, half happy to see someone like her, half afraid to know if she was ready to face it. She still had some hard memory of her family and did not know if she could really be free.

Still , she felt like she had to compliment her ."You also are interesting to play Koromo-San"

...

'Interesting', That all that new girl thought about her. Koromo couldn't help but be vexed about it. But at the same time, it was the Full Moon and the others were already trembling in their chair, despair seeking even so they were holding , By pure habitude she knew.

And that girl has been just a little weary, she even seemed to find solace when her point got down. Koromo became even more curious, she would test her new maid to the fullest. That was what she always did after all, to get the most fun out of otherwise boring games.

As the Moon got up, her control of the game was too. As the third East neared its end, she decided that she would show the girl if she was only , interesting. By showing her despair. Somewhere in her heart, she hoped this one would not break, she somehow reminded her of herself.

She little, by little let them draw, calling only once so that her hand would be ready for her final move, while still preparing for an eventual call in the last turns. She had all the time she wanted after. So she would do this one slowly.

"Tsumo, Tanyao , San Shoku, Haitei Raoyue"

Luckily , no call came, but it was more because two of her foes were used to her. She knew Tomoki would have usually called on Saki's last discard . But was too afraid of the consequence. 1000/2000.

Seriously , this was why she was getting bored of her matched with them. After a time they weren't trying anymore to stop her Haitei, even so they knew when they could she was sure.

Yes, she tended to overreact when people did that and harass them until their last point, and till she was appeased. But it was still better than doing nothing. She wondered if that cat-like girl from last year would try to the end like last year. And if she could get a match against the champion. But for now she would do with the interesting new servant.

The fourth East was well underway, and her hand was already ready. Of course she could have called Riichi already.

Looking at the discard she could even have won out of Jun hand, But she would not, She wanted to observe if the new girl would do something. Sadly she seemed to just bail out. She had reached Tempai she knew, and that alone was praise worthy under her control, and even if it was a little hand she should have gone with it in her prediction.

They always did, usually. However she had gone back. Koromo could not understand why someone would back out in a situation when only one other had a tempai. Maybe she had overestimated the girl. She seemed far too weary, even if it has been just only that. There was no fear in the girl's eyes.

"Richii" she declared , nailing her victory, making sure it sinked in her foe's mind.

But she did not react more that of it was an everyday richii, She had made sure to show she discarded her draw while calling it but she had just looked, with the same frown she had since Koromo's first Win. Like she was in deep thought.

"Richii Ipatsu Tsumo, Pinfu , Haitei Raoyue, 2000/4000"

Koromo took the point stick and increased the pressure .Now she was back to being the Parent, and she wouldn't let go of this place until she saw what she wanted. And she made the message clear.

The South round started.

...

Saki was starting to understand how Koromo played, and she was sure she could manage to finish her hand with a little work.

But her future Mistress play was far too aggressive, and it was scaring off Tomoki and Jun. If she wanted to enjoy the play she would have to help them. It would not be fun to win if the match was a one on one.

As the match got deeper once more Jun hand got the clear hint of a Dot Honitsu, perfect to test her theory. When Koromo threw a nine of Dot She called it. She knew Koromo had done it purposefully to spite Jun bit it served her in this situation too.

Just after Saki broke her 456 Dot sequence by discarding the Dora. And like she thought the call was made.

"Chi" The boyish girl seemed to take back her confidence. And at the same time, Koromo seemed to tilt, Indicating like Jun had really got a tempai from that call, now she had to see if she would make the best choice.

Jun looked at her, and she could see that her mind was racing. She chose to trow the 3 dot in her hand, she had understood Saki play and was basing her play on her habitude.

Koromo was a little lost, Her darken eyes going between her and Saki . Koromo would not make any call now, not if she still wanted the Haitei, even so Saki was sure she could do without.

And so the West that should come to her hand came.

"Kan" She declared her signature call. But it had lots more use than her usual Rinshan.

She extended her hand and got to peek the rinshan at the other side of the Table.

Since she was a child , she had developed several instincts on how the game was going, who had a good luck in the draw, what others needed to advance their hand or just plainly what would never come. But all that came after training.

Her parents thought it wasn't normal to have such a good sense of the game so young, even after playing each day during parents and sister seem to have a pretty good sense too, even if they made mistakes from time to time so she couldn't understand how it could be special. It had taken Saki to finally play against other children to understand that it really wasn't normal, And that she was in fact a "Monster" in some way, like her mother said.

But there was one thing that she knew from the start was special. She could instinctively know each till in the dead-wall, And she could do so since the first time she had played.

Yep she knew the Dead-wall, And she had to admit , that could be creepy. But it was useful, because from that cemetery came beautiful Flower.

And this time she would offer one of them.

The tile she drew was the last 8 dot and she added it to her kan, she almost did not need to call it ad se immediately her Jun call the Ron.

"Ron , Chankan , Honitsu , Itsuu Dora, 8000 " Jun , unbelief in her voice that what she had gotten in the flow had been right. Discarding that 3 dot for a hell wait on a 8dot was really the gamble.

Saki gave the point stick she had already prepared, and smiled as she looked that both Tomoki and Jun had gotten the message.

And she also felt that Koromo had gotten irritated that her dealership ended like that, But Saki hoped it was for the best.

...

What was that. How dare they, she ended her dealership like that.

First she had dealt away the eight of dot Knowing Jun had a need for that tile.

However it had been called by Saki, It was not unexpected and it was putting a heavier crux on Jun so she did not complain. But that call seemed out of context somehow. And she could feel traces of her control loosening in it.

Then she had known Jun would call eventually, But the fact that the new maid would discard that Dora was outside, she was one away from tempai and had totally broken her hand with that discard.

It was to a point Koromo thought her senses were failing her. And they couldn't fail her on a full Moon.

Then had came those two kan and her senses had gone haywire, In a direction she did not expect.

Not only Jun had been in Tempai, But after the first one her sense told her that Tomoki hand had become really dangerous, to the point she was slightly relieved when Jun won on that Chan-kan.

And now, where there has been usually fright , there was , hope and respect in her foe. Somehow she was glad, maybe she would really have some fun this time. But at the same time, she was taking it as a personal affront.

No one was supposed to go against fate. And the fate of her foe was to lose and cower.

Like her Parents fate had been dying in that accident. That was at least what Touka had said. If it was not it meant that her uncle was right and that it had been her fault, and she didn't know if she could live with that.

"PON" On the first turn, she attacked, deciding she had enough observation. The maid may be good at manipulation but she had not been any threat from the start of the match. A defensive player like you found sometime if she remembered right from last year. Good choice on Touka's part but it could not suffice.

And she still had that impression the girl was hiding, or maybe that something was hiding her.

"PON" she did not let pass the full turn before calling once more. That was how she played when she was getting serious, using the sense given to her along with the same domination of the field that the Moon had over the sky.

And tonight it was Full.

"PON" She called on the north out of Tomoki's hand, And now her hand was ready. She let two turn go , Not changing her hand even if better thing came to her, she did not want to stop that match right now. Not before getting rid of that strange feeling that something was amiss, in her play , and also in The play of the Girl in front of her, whose eyes was now hidden behind the shadow cast by the moonlight.

"Ron" She called , has Tomoki discarded her wait, two of them had already been discarded so she knew Tomoki would do the errors. She relied on odds too much "Toi-toi, Honitsu , Hounrontou, Nan, Hastu, Chun," She had let past the possibility of a chou sangen just so she could get her and, how it should, It had worked.

"Baiman, 16000" She took the last point stick that was in Tomoki case.

But even so she was visibly hurt, despair did not creep back in her more than normal, even after she put her down to 0

...

Like she had predicted, Koromo could really play in another way than going for that sinking Haitei. And she had done so in an impressive way. She could really see the raging force Touka had prevented her against now.

And it both reminded her of her sister and of Touka earlier. But at least, She wasn't suffering physically from it like the latter. But as the former , she was ruthless in her win. Saki was excited, she really had found someone she could try against at full power. If she could get rid of those shackles.

Saki had not missed that Koromo could have won on a higher hand and end the match here.

But she had not, hand now she at the same time was giving her a last chance and blocked it, or at least tried to. Nothing was perfect, Saki knew.

For Saki had not aimed to win this match. She knew she could not from the Moment she had entered the room, not as she was now.

There was something chaining her down other than The Moon but she couldn't see what and knew she could not before the end of the match.

So she would end the match here.

"Well , I won't win that match, so let's Stop here." She said, surprising everyone, They were in the middle of the 3rd South Round.

"... What do you mean? Do you trow the towel?" Koromo asked.

"Not at all. I will just do what you want of me and end your work" She said while smiling, Then she looked at Tomoki "Sorry, Lets try harder on the next match, Kan" She took Tomoki's discard which, she had to admit, was not dangerous if you only took care of Ron, a 2 Bamboo discard.

"... I understand, You will go for that right?" Tomoki said with a slight smile. Saki nodded, they already her habit after all. She also turned the kan-Dora even so she knew none would be in her hand.

"So we really have a new Princess. Good for You Koromo" Jun said clanking back her tiles.

"Tomoki, Jun what do you mean? She isn't even in Tempai," Koromo was really surprised.

"Sorry , Next Time I promise will try to win, But I didn't feel like I could win that one,... I don't feel right..." Saki apologized once more.

"like the moon was masked by the cloud" She heard Koromo whispered, and Saki had to admit, it was a good metaphor for what she was feeling, apart from the fact that the moon was not affecting her.

"Now, Kan" She called the second one from her Rinshan draw and , setting aside the 3 dot on an earlier Pon she had made and saw that Koromo's eyes were wide opened . In excitement.

"Once more Kan", She called the last one, turning the two tiles on each side. This one was in her hand from the start

Then, she extended her hand , turning foremost the Kan-Dora she had forgotten the time before, and draw her last tile ."Tsumo ,Rinchan Kaihou, San kan tsu. 3han 60 Fu , 11600"

Her hand had gone from (333B); 222D 44445C WW to That. (2222B; [3]333D; 4444C); 5[67]C WW.

"... I really was the weakest one of the team wasn't I?" Tomoki said a little disheartened, But still she was happy she could be of help to people like Saki or Koromo, even if it was as a 'Sacrifice'. And like that she would get better too.

" I wasn't able to do much either" Jun proclaimed "Still, you said you were stifled but you managed to meet your usual target"

Koromo perked up at that. "Usual target, what do you mean? She lost right" Koromo's head was going back and forth between them and the Table obviously at a loss

Saki was a little embarrassed, nobody usually saw what she was aiming for, but they're two of them already knew.

"Eh... this is embarrassing to say but..." She hesitated, knowing there was a chance Koromo took it badly, and she really didn't want that. She already felt a strong liking to the her short uperclasmen.

"Like she said, the little miss here chose not to win that match right?" Jun smirked getting up off her seat and doing some stretching. Saki could understand why, the match could really be tense for some.

"Well, I don't feel alright. But yes, that's pretty much it. That's why I got to +/- 0 Like usual. I wanted to see if I could still do it, and I'am relieved to see I can."

"What?" Koromo shouted " +/- 0, That's what you were going for? That's stupid, someone like you should try to win. If you go for things like that you are useless and it is less fun." the little blond was irritated, probably because she felt she had been cheated.

Saki suddenly got up and repeatedly bowed. "Sorry, really sorry. But You are so strong that I preferred to test and observe on our first march. I will play for the win next time... I get rid of that hindrance" She once more bowed deeply, and the dress got up her head, exposing her naked "Wha!"

'Bam' and making her fall down."ouch!"

"Ahahah... That's right... You.. ahah you look really strange in those clothes... I will go find you better one in Your room, there should be there already" Jun said , muffling her laughter with her hand.

Saki could also hear Tomoki and Koromo snickering.

" Mou, don't laugh please, it really hurt" She complained , trying to get out of that dress.

" Stop moving, I will get you out of it." Saki obeyed Tomoki soft voice, pouting.

"... So.. You say you can win against me? You really are a cocky one, playing tricks like that on me like I was a beginner" Koromo taunt her, the predatory smile back, but more friendly this time.

"I.. Mmmm" Saki was entangled in her uniform.

" You what? I didn't hear" Koromo asked the question anew.

Saki finally, slowly, got out of the embarrassing uniform and got up, answering Koromo in the eyes, feeling the determination burn in her.

"Yes, I will win our next Match Koromo, and , I hope , we will become your friends,... Maybe even more than friends" She had blurted out that last part without thinking , but it felt natural, and even if it was embarrassing to the point she could feel the red on her cheeks she really thought it.

Koromo was also pure red, forcing to not look down "... very well... I accept your challenge. But first you should maybe dress."

"Awawa" Saki plunged back hiding her naked body. And what's more her body was totally seen in pure white moonlight.

It was not the first time some saw her naked but it was always embarrassing, even if it was a girl.

"... Take that." Saki heard the voice of Jun behind her, she had not heard the door opened but she was back with her clothe.

" Thank" Saki took the... Night gown that Jun gave her. "I didn't know I had that.

" Touka apparently bought it for you, it seems she wants it to be your pajamas as you don't seem to have one. There was that note on it "

Saki took the note, on it was only two words "to touch the heaven you have to get free ". Saki gave a silent thank and put the not so revealing Pajamas. It was the first time she had one but she had to admit, she felt better in it.

"You look good on it" Koromo said happily while she turned around her like a child.

".. thank you, I suppose, " Saki was admiring her new dress in the mirror next to the bed. She wasn't used to pretty things.

" Touka's taste are as questionable as usual" Jun said while appraising Saki, much to her discomfort.

"...But for once it's good" Tomoki commented as Saki hide herself while praying they would stop the stare.

"You should remove your socks too, they don't look good with that dress, and you seem bad with them" Koromo noted.

"... Maybe, they do itch a little. " Saki sat at her place at the mahjong table and removed her socks. When the first was gone , she already felt , better, but once the second was off, she felt like all the weigh the was on her add leaved, all the shackles that held her down had been removed. And she remembered , That's the first time she played, she also was sockless.

Like she was now, she could do it. "Can we do the replay now?"

Koromo was smiling at her, she probably had felt the change of mind she just had. " Of course, You are , you now after all. If we didn't do it tonight you would it wouldn't be fair to me."

" You found it? " Jun was trembling slightly, was the change that big.

Yes she had found it, her cloudless night. "It seems so. I won't hold back this time... By advance, Sorry." Saki made an apologetic smile , for more than one reason.

" The flower is out of the pot ". Tomoki said Sitting back on the table " I will try my best to "

' Out of the pot? Onee-chan did say that I was like the flower, but she couldn't mean... Now this is silly' Her sister had never been literal after all. And she couldn't be That flower.

"... So, a second purgatory... Well that's why Touka took me in so lets go" Jun sat down, more sure than the last time , The next game would truly be Fun Saki thought

...

'This game will be fun' That was also what was on Koromo thought as she hummed, unleashing her aura and feeling Saki's react. 'Touka really kept her promises'

...

Until next time

Thank for reading

Please review. They really do help. Next chapter won't probably come come before august because of IRL. But be appeased, next update will be at least a chapter of each of my stories in the first week, I really want to do it.

I know I talk about it in each chapter but I really take at heart to continue MPiSS , and the chapter 5 is finally at 6/7 finished. I will also correct that Fic when the chapter upload.

Once again Thank.

Fragment of Ring