Chapter 5 Hope

She was still staring at the pin in her hand when Arisa came pedaling up the road ten minutes later.

"Yo, Tohru!" Arisa called. Tohru paid no heed to her friends greeting. The implications of what Mite had told her still sinking in. In the bottom of her stomach she felt an easing of a tension she had not known was there. Here then was a way she could fight more amenable to her nature. For the first time in three months she allowed herself to hope.

It was that hope Arisa saw in her eyes when she came up beside her friend and shook her gently by the shoulder.

"Tohru, didn't you hear me calling you- what is that?" Arisa asked delighting in the smile blossoming over Tohru's face.

"Uo-Chan, I think I may have found a way to fight for Kyo and Yuki!"

Hanajima wrinkled her brow in concentration as a ball of black lightning the size of a golfball began to form and crackle in her hand. Sweat drenched her black babydoll dress and strands of her dark hair clung to her skin as she fought to master the swirling power inside her. It wasn't so much a matter of controlling what she held in her hand as it was controlling the power within her.

"Focus little cub, your power is a reflection of your heart, summoned forth at your will, it has no life on its own. The power you have is you. And as it is you it is yours to control. Let go your fear and the control will come so that even in the face of rage you will be its master." Hanajima listened with half an ear to her grandmother's instructions. She tried to let go of the fear she felt towards her powers but she could not entirely vanquish them. She knew without a doubt that they were responsible for putting that kid in a coma in elementary school. She also knew they had the ability to kill, if Hatori and Shigure hadn't taken that Godling Akito away she would have blown him, or her, to bits.

She knew too she would not have regretted it. The night they got away Hanajima had treated Tohru's wounds. Her back was a lacerated mishmash of cane imprints. Tohru had wept softly as Hanajima had pried her shirt from the half formed scabs and crusted blood on her back. Some of the wounds were so deep Hanajima had wanted to get stitches but Tohru was afraid that the Sohma's would think to check the hospitals, so she was forced to use an entire box of butterly sutures on two of the gashes.

In total Hanajima counted 9 deep gouges and 4 that were merely dark purple bruises with red splotches surrounding them, due to exploded capillaries. The longer Hanajima worked on Tohru's back the angrier she became; that anyone could bear to do this to Tohru was unforgivable.

A darkness awoke within her, fierce and wild. The air was full of electricity, Arisa cried out as she accidentally bumped into the table-light in the dingy motel room they were staying in and got shocked by a burst of static. Once Tohru's wounds were cleaned and bandaged Hanajima stepped into the night air. Storm clouds had already been roiling and gathering over the motel. As Hanajima entered the darkness she emitted a feral cry of bloodlust so fierce a dog yipped in the distance. The heavens roared to life and unleashed their fury in a torrential onslaught of rain. Black lightning crackled, purple at the edges; and Hanajima knew it was her doing. The thought terrified and thrilled her at the same time.

With such power she could be sure that no one would ever harm Tohru again. But such power had the potential to destroy the bond she had formed with Tohru and Arisa if it went uncontrolled. She turned to her grandmother; many claimed she had powers different than ordinary people. Her grandmother did have some power but not anything to compare with Hana's. But she taught her granddaughter what she could. Hanajima eagerly listened and she was an apt pupil, but her fear of her own power was holding her back. And Hanajima knew that if Tohru didn't find a power of her own to protect her mind from Hatori that there was always the potential that her memories could get erased.

"Saki-kun, you are not concentrating. That is enough for today." Her grandmothers soft voice put an end to her intensity and the ball of lightning flickered out and disappeared.

"Where did you go child, that was so important that it distracted you from your training?" Her grandmother asked. Saki heaved a sigh before shifting from her cross-legged position to her knees so she could better see her grandmother.

Tokeri Hanajima was a handsome older woman whose eyes sparkled with a dark mystique and no small amount of intelligence. Her ebony hair was thick and piled atop her head in a loose bun, the barest hint of silver adorned the hair near her ears. Tokeri always dressed in shades of purple and lavender, she claimed it brought out the sparkle in her eyes. She was soft spoken and humble but beneath her gentle demeanor lurked an iron will that had enabled her to raise two children on her own when her husband was killed in the war. Using her keen intuition she had become a renowned faith healer and herb woman in her town and was widely respected and loved by those that knew her. Saki Hanajima knew that if anyone could help her help Tohru it was her grandmother.

"I was thinking of our dear Tohru, grandmother. I will strive ever to be at her side, protecting her from Hatori's powers, but there may come a time when Hatori will get her away from me, it only takes a second and all the precious memories Tohru clings to so dearly will be taken from her." Saki's grandmother eyed her granddaughter speculatively.

"And how does that make you feel little cub?" As if in answer, thunder rumbled a low warning in the sky as sparks shot from Hanajima's eyes.

" It would be the same as rape. If Tohru had her mind violated by the Sohma doctor, I… I know I would do something terrible…" Hanajima's gaze did not waver as she met eyes with her grandmother. Tokeri nodded sagely, trying to ignore the chill that went down her spine. Good Spirits, protect her grand daughter from ever making such a choice!

"I know of no potion or charm that would protect Tohru from the kind of power you have spoken of." Saki was silent for so long that Tokeri thought that the matter was done until her granddaughter whispered to her.

"What of Aidoriku?"

Tokeri hissed between her clenched teeth. She responded in a voice that trembled with fear and anger.

"For years Aodoriku has made his bargains and deals with the demon world and the world of the living. No good will ever come of asking for his aid. The price is always higher than the supplicant should be willing to pay and none who have gone to him for help have ever wound up happy. Be prepared to lose something dear should you go to him for help." Hanajima nodded and looked away, her dark hair shielding her eyes from her grandmother. Saki knew there was no price too high for Tohru to pay to keep her memories and thusly there was no price too high that Saki Hanajima would not pay for Tohru's happiness.

Tohru was so excited that Arisa couldn't help laughing at her exuberance. Arisa had missed this Tohru. Tohru had told her the story about Mite's magic pin at least six times already and of his offer to teach her. She was in the process of reiterating the story for the seventh time as they closed in on Hanajima who sat on the front porch of her grandmother's small home.

Tohru paused in her story to rush to Hanajima's side. She grasped the dark haired girls pale hands in her own and pulled her to her feet, dancing in a circle. Saki laughed lightly a sound rusty from disuse, but rich with genuine joy. Here was the Tohru who had disappeared that fateful night.

"Hana-chan, its wonderful! Today, Uo-chan and I were training like usual when we had to deliver some orders. When I returned Mite was waiting for me He was so fast I never saw it coming and then I couldn't move or speak or anything I could just stand there, but I wasn't hurt at all. He said he would teach me and so I can fight without hurting anyone and I can protect the people I love just like mom!"

Saki threw back her head in joy as Tohru wheeled her around the front lawn and when at last The girl calmed down she sat next to her letting her lean her soft brown haired head on her shoulders as she caught her breath. Hana looked up to Arisa and mouthed the words what is going on? Arisa just smiled. She gave her a look that said I'll tell you later. Finally after catching her breath Tohru sat up.

"So, Hana-chan, how was your training?" Hana's eyes darkened. She was still a little uncomfortable openly discussing her newfound powers.

"Well, the more I practice the easier it gets to control the waves; I can also sense people farther away than I used to be able to, if I choose to. The problems occur when I am very emotional, the lightning comes too readily and I can't always control it perfectly." Hanajima stared directly into Tohru's eyes, searching for any hint of fear or disgust, sure that there should be some, if only a little. But all she saw was Tohru's smile.

"Well, just keep doing your best Hana-chan and I will do my best as well, and soon we can go and rescue Kyo and the others."

"Yeah, about that Tohru," Arisa interjected as she again brought up a subject they had gone through many times, "none of the Sohma's really wanted you to rescue them, how will you do it without their consent. I mean if you want I can bash the heads in of any who resist and we can drag them out of there, but eventually they will wake up."

"I still don't know Uo-chan, all I know is that I can't leave them all. Especially Kyo." Arisa cringed inwardly as Tohru's smile dimmed and her face returned to that dark haunted look that had painted her features for the past three months.

"Since we're talking about ways to save them have you discovered any way to keep Hatori from erasing your memories?" Hanajima questioned.

"Well… ummm… not really. I mean I've asked people if they know of anyone with sacred powers or special abilities, I tell them I want a charm that will help me find a man to fall in love with so they don't think me strange. They always refer me to Tokeri-San. Has your grandmother got any idea how I can fight Hatori's power?" Hanajima shook her head.

"There is another person who could help. But he is not a man to take lightly and I fear he will do us more harm then good."

"But Hana-chan if he's all we have then we have to try! I do not wish to suffer but when I picture Kyo-kun locked up in that little house or…" Tohru's voice immediately caught on a sob as tears pooled and spilled from her eyes, "or Yuki kun never smiling again, of something awful happening to Rin-San because she loves Hatsuharu-san, or poor Kisa and Hiro, and Momiji is all alone and I promised him I would come back- well no matter what harm this other person does it will be worth it if it can help me protect my memories and save the Sohma's!" Her huge limpid eyes were all the convincing Saki needed to trust that she had made the right decision.

"Alright then. We will use this man, Aodoriku, only as a last resort if we haven't found a way to protect your memories by the end of winter." Tohru smiled satisfied.

The next few months passed in a blur for the three girls. Tohru began training four hours a day with Mite as he taught her the skill of the needle. She continued strengthening her endurance by running with Arisa every morning. Hanajima continued to master her training, her fear of her power never truly went away but she learned to control the fear just as she learned to control her abilities Arisa began lifting weights and Tohru soon joined her, even Saki began training with them as they all tried to condition their bodies to be strong. Tohru's speed improved dramatically as well as her dexterity. As she strengthened her core muscles she became better able to shift her center of gravity. She could leap higher, swing farther up. Arisa tested her on their runs and they leapt fences and gates, they climbed trees and even climbed up the rocky face of a Cliffside base of a mountain.

Together the girls swam upstream in icy waters to condition their muscles and strengthen their endurance. Saki was amazed at the transformation in Tohru. She stood taller, she moved with more grace than ever, her stride took on a confidence it had never had before. And in the entire time not once did she falter or complain. She pushed herself feverishly toward every new goal as if time was running out for her.

In a sense it was. Tohru had decided she would return for the Sohma's after one year away from them. Any longer and she feared they would give up hope. As the end of winter loomed before them Saki was faced with the unpleasant realization that the three of them were going to have to hike up into the mountains to Aodoriku's place to see if he could help them. In spite of all their preparations and all their training they still had no way to protect themselves from Hatori's mind wipe.