Chapter Twelve

"Well, you took your time coming to me."

Ramia sat back in her seat, eying her reluctant page with a mixture of impatience and amusement. "I was getting quite concerned about you, Rumiya…I wondered if perhaps you'd been careless enough to get found out."

"I don't think so, my Lady." Rumiya frowned, shaking his head as his gaze drifted warily around the finely furnished prison chamber, pausing for a moment on the table which held Ramia's carved box. His heart stilled in his chest for a moment as he saw that one of the figures had been laid out carefully beside it, and he bit his lip, knowing without going any closer whose likeness the doll was.

Ramia caught his gaze, humour glittering coldly in her marigold eyes.

"I was ready to take any precautions." She said softly. "But you have not failed me, Rumiya – so you need not worry yourself. Not this time. I know you have what I seek. Give it to me, please."

Rumiya swallowed hard, slipping his hand inside the folds of his jacket as he pulled out the creased, blood-stained ribbon, holding it hesitantly out to his mistress, who took it, eying it carefully.

"Your blood taints this cloth?" She asked evenly. Rumiya nodded his head.

"I'm afraid so, Lady Ramia." He said hesitantly. "Lord Motonoya's blade cut through my wing when I went originally to Lady Sasami's chamber, and that's why this took me so long. I had to withdraw and…and try again. She gave me the band to stem the flow of blood from my wound."

"Compassion will be the death of that planet, Rumiya. Mark my words." Ramia said pensively, turning the ribbon over in her hands. "She did not make the connection, I trust, between you and your bird likeness?"

"No, Lady Ramia." Rumiya shook his head. "She thought I was hurt in Haki's attack."

"I see." Ramia seemed to be turning this over in her mind. "Well, tainted as it is, it will serve my purposes well enough. There are fine strands of Sasami-sama's hair still clinging to the fabric, so I will be able to cast my spell, even with your blood soiling it. I already hold you in my clutches, after all. It will make no difference."

"Ramia-sama, can you tell me something?" As Ramia wound the ribbon carefully around a newly crafted likeness, Rumiya plucked up his courage, eying his mistress in trepidation. "Did you…have you removed your protection from my bird form, now that I have returned from space?"

"Removed it?" Ramia's eyes narrowed. "No. As yet, I have not."

"Then do you know why it should be that Lord Motonoya's sword cut through my feathers so cleanly?" Rumiya's hand went absently to his stinging wound. "I don't understand how it happened, but he drew blood from me. The blood that soaked Lady Sasami's ribbon."

"Interesting." Ramia's eyes glittered thoughtfully. "Then his blade must be as I am – born of Airai. The magic I practice brings people to submission, but it is much harder to bewitch those of my native land. There is a type of metal drawn from the ore of Arian mountains and melted together to form swords…it is known to be extremely powerful metal, strong and decisive in the blows it makes. The stories say that the minerals exist to counteract the magic that fills Airai's people…and that contact with it can shatter minor spells. Perhaps Lord Motonoya possesses one such sword."

"Then he can kill me?" Rumiya looked apprehensive, and Ramia let out a low chuckle, shrugging her shoulders.

"Perhaps, if he thought you were in his way." She said lightly. "But I can kill you much more easily, so I wouldn't waste your time worrying about one of Princess Sasami's companions. Even if his blade is made of Arian steel, he has no idea of our true purpose here, and so long as you do as you are told, he won't be. In which case, he won't draw his sword on you again, now will he?"

"I suppose not." Rumiya sighed, twisting his hands together as he watched his companion lovingly fashion her doll. "Could this sword hurt even you, Lady Ramia?"

"That's a very dangerous question to ask someone who holds your soul in her hands, Rumiya." Ramia said softly, and Rumiya flinched back, shaking his head hurriedly.

"That's not what I meant." He said quickly. "I just…I was curious. That's all."

"I think it's unlikely. I'm a very strong mage." Ramia pursed her lips together thoughtfully. "My people come from the mountain region, where swords such as this one are fashioned, and we have some resistance against the minerals' effects. If I was not sealed up in this evil place, my protection over your wings would not have been compromised. But I am not free yet, and so I have my limitations. That's all."

"That makes sense." Rumiya admitted. "I think I understand now."

"Good." Ramia offered him a dry smile, setting her new effigy down on the polished wood of the table, and running her fingers deftly over it as she gave it features. As Rumiya watched, he saw the creation's appearance shimmer and change, and he frowned, confused.

"I thought you were going to haunt Lady Sasami, Ramia-sama." He said uncertainly. "But that…that doesn't look like her."

"I have no interest in mere flesh and blood, Rumiya." Ramia dismissed his question with a careless flick of her hand. "I seek to bewitch something that runs deeply within her – something which shares her life and her genetics. You said yourself that Tsunami lives within that one, and that her magic was strong enough to drive Haki away from Tounochi. So it is Tsunami I must conquer. Sasami is simply a by-product of the Goddess's will, and she does not matter. Tsunami is the one who is strong, and the one who is in my way. So I will taint the Goddess, and the girl will soon die along with her."

Rumiya bit his lip, but he did not respond, and carefully Ramia set her figure to one side, flipping open the catch on her box and dipping her hand inside, looping her fingers around one of the other dolls and bringing it out into the light of the room.

"For now, however, I have another little test to perform." She murmured, and Rumiya's heart skipped a beat as he recognised the figurine that represented Misao. "Just to see how well you and Haki have served my purpose."

"You won't hurt her, will you?" Rumiya asked anxiously. Ramia laughed, shaking her head in amusement.

"No." She replied. "I have use for Misao, so she will not come to harm. However, she may cause it – I won't guarantee otherwise."

Rumiya swallowed hard, watching as the dark cloud of Ramia's red-gold magic engulfed the figure, light glinting from the hair as the delicate material absorbed the Lady's spell. For a moment, the doll hovered out of Ramia's hands, then, very gently, it dropped down onto the table once more, the glow fading from its form. Ramia nodded her head in satisfaction.

"It is completed." She said softly. "And now to see just what my daughter is really made of."

---------------

"How can she just have disappeared?"

Ryoko stared at Hiroshi blankly, a look of confusion on her face. "This is a strange planet for her – and she's scaredy enough for anything. She can't have gone far – last time I saw her, she was huddled up in my room and she didn't seem keen on straying. She's not exactly the adventurous type – where on Earth could she go?"

"Ryoko's right." Seiryo's expression became grave, his malachite eyes clouding as he contemplated Hiroshi's announcement. "Are you sure that you checked everywhere? Misao-sama is a gentle, reserved child by nature. I don't believe she would have wondered off to explore her surroundings."

"Not on her own, at least." Tenchi frowned.

"I'm pretty sure. I looked everywhere I could get to, and unless she can walk through walls, I can't see where else she could have gone." Hiroshi spread his hands, looking as non-plussed as the rest.

"I don't suppose she can walk through walls, Seiryo?" Washu asked the lord curiously. "I don't know much about the people of Yousai – not in magical terms. Is it possible that she might have that ability? My lab door is locked, but if she was able to phase…"

"Magic is not exactly my area of expertise, Washu. I wouldn't have a clue." Seiryo said frankly. "But I didn't get the impression that they did very much in that line, the Shizukasari. They seemed quite ineffectual, actually…I wouldn't have thought they were possessed of the kind of traits you and your daughter both have."

"Well, she has to be somewhere." Sakura said logically. "So Hiroshi must've missed her somehow – or he looked in one place that she moved to while he was checking somewhere else. Maybe if we all split up to look, we could find her more easily."

"Sakura's right." Ryoko acknowledged, a look of irritation in her amber eyes. "That is what we're going to have to do, if we're going to shift the Unko from dwarfing the shrine. I'm sure you don't want to stop here long, Seiryo-sama – and I'm pretty sure we don't want you here more than you have to be. So I say we do as Sakura suggests. Split up. One of us is sure to come across her."

"Sakura, are you and Ikeda game to help out?" Tenchi asked. Sakura nodded.

"Of course. The poor girl is scared and she wants to go home." She said simply. "If it were me, I'd be freaking out, and she's just a child. Why wouldn't we help?"

"After all, how much trouble can one thirteen year old alien kid be?" Hiroshi added. "Sure, Masaki, count us in. The more eyes the better, and all that…though I swear, I've searched the place from top to bottom and I didn't see any sign of her anywhere."

"Maybe she saw the silver ship and got frightened by it." Washu looked thoughtful. "If she'd already had a bad experience with Karasu, maybe she decided to hide when she saw it come down. Is she familiar with the Unko, Seiryo? Or would it be a strange ship to her?"

"I don't think she saw us arrive on Yousai, so you probably have a good point." Seiryo remarked pensively. "I doubt she would know that my ship was friend and not foe."

"And if Kamidake came with you, perhaps he's come down and already got a hold of her." Tenchi added. "Maybe you should check your ship first of all, Lord Tennan. You don't know this area all too well, so that seems to make sense. The rest of us can divide up between the house, the shrine and the surrounding land. If she's here, we'll find her quicker that way."

"I'll walk out to the shrine." Sakura volunteered. "I know the way, and Katsuhito-san is there…he might have seen her, in the meantime."

"I'll fly over, see if I can see her from the sky." Ryoko decided, flickering and blurring out of view before anyone could stop her, and Washu smiled wryly, shaking her head slowly at her daughter's impatience.

"I suppose I'd better check out my lab, although I don't expect she's got in there." She decided. "Which leaves the house and the mountainside for you and Ikeda-san, Tenchi."

"I'd better take the house. I might get lost around the mountains." Hiroshi scratched his head sheepishly. "I didn't wander too far when I searched, I have to admit – all the pathways roundabout look the same to me."

"Then I'll head up that way and see if she's wandered too far by herself." Tenchi nodded. "We'll meet back here in an hour, hopefully with Misao. Okay?"

"Sounds a good idea to me." Sakura nodded decidedly. "All right. I'll see you later."

"And if you see Ryoko, tell her an hour." Tenchi smiled.

Sakura grinned back at him, pushing back the sliding door and heading out into the hallway towards the front door. Behind her she could hear her companions heading off to their relevant locations, and as she stepped out into the bright Okayama sunlight, she realised that she was headed in the same direction as the arrogant alien that had accosted them at the shrine before. She paused, turning to glance at him, and he offered her a benign smile.

"Is something wrong?"

"I forgot you were parked over this way. That's all." Sakura frowned. "Ryoko says that we can probably trust you, but she doesn't like you and I don't, either. You think you're better than us…I don't like that."

"The Juraian Empire is the strongest, longest lasting and most profitable Empire in the universe." Seiryo said evenly, as they trudged out towards the old shrine complex. "The Earth, in comparison, is a sole planet which orbits its sun alone, devoid of neighbours with like populations with which to share communications and alliances. There is a big gap between the two of them."

"Perhaps." Sakura pursed her lips. "But that still doesn't mean your way is better. Your planet seems to invite a lot of trouble, from what Tenchi and Ryoko have said about it."

"I dare say that's the truth." Seiryo acknowledged. "People always seek to challenge great power structures, in the hopes of bringing them down and stealing their influence."

"Will Jurai try and invade this planet, do you think? It's invaded others, so I want to know."

"Jurai? Invade the Earth? Not a chance of it." Seiryo snorted. "For a start, there's no benefit to be gained from patronising a planet such as this. Earth has no resources that Jurai might need, and pretty as it might be, the lifestyle is entirely foreign. Jurai seeks to aid Earth's own defences because the Emperor's son and great grandson both make their homes here, and because the Crown Princess and her sister are inordinately fond of these mountains. That's all. There's no political agenda. Earth is not about to become Jurai's next colony…it would be financially unsound to even attempt it. As the Council's Treasurer, I can guarantee that I'd fight hard against funds being released for such a pointless mission."

"Financially unsound." Sakura echoed. "Fine. Good. That suits us, too. I'm glad we're not profitable enough for your people to come invade us."

"You're remarkably wary and suspicious, considering your friendship with Lord Tenchi." Seiryo remarked astutely. "You trust him and you trust his associates – but you still fear the greater motives of a world you don't understand?"

"Wouldn't you?"

"Yes. I didn't say your wariness was a bad thing." Seiryo shook his head. "Caution is a wise survival tactic. I'm sure that's how your people have flourished here where other planets around you have failed to harbour life."

At that point they reached the shrine, and Seiryo ran his finger over a band on his wrist, gazing up towards the ship as a glimmering transport beam shot down onto the ground below.

"If you find Lady Misao, tell her we've come to take her home, not to harm her." He said simply, and then he was gone, drawn up with the dots of light into the belly of his craft. Sakura gazed at the spot where he had been for a brief moment, then up at the silvery contraption that still hung low in the sky.

"If I saw that, I'd probably never want to come out." She muttered, stepping in through the doorway of the shrine and peering her head around the wood-panel wall as she looked for the priest.

"Katsuhito-san, are you here? Can you tell me if you've seen the young girl Ryoko brought home with her last night?"

"The girl is missing, is she?" Katsuhito looked startled, glancing up from his desk. "I haven't seen her here, no. I've been busy with my work and have seen noone since you and your friend left with Lord Tennan."

"You still have his sword." Sakura realised, and Katsuhito nodded, holding it out to her.

"You can give it to him…likely I'll be wrapped up with things here all day and the sooner he moves his ship from my shrine the better for my custom." He said lightly. "I hope you find the girl soon – if she appears here, I'll tell her you're looking."

"Thank you." Sakura eyed the sword hesitantly for a moment, then she took it gingerly in her grasp, gazing at the silent hilt blankly for a moment. "Is it meant to have a blade? I mean, I'm sure it did when that Tennan guy gave it to you. It isn't broken, is it?"

"No. Just sleeping." Katsuhito assured her. "It's tuned to recognise Seiryo's own genetic structure, you see – it won't form a blade for anyone else, so as it can't be used in battle against its master. It's quite safe for you to touch – you couldn't hurt yourself even if you wanted to."

"Oh." Relief flooded Sakura's soul and she slid the weapon into the pocket of her jeans. "Fine, then I'll make sure he gets it back before he leaves. Thanks for your help, Katsuhito-san – I need to go look for Misao now."

"Good luck." The old man offered her a smile, and she returned it, stepping neatly back outside the shrine as she gazed around at the surrounding country. As she did so, she thought she saw a flash of coloured fabric dart between the cherry trees that flanked the walkway between the shrine and the house, and she hurried forwards, taking the steps two at a time.

"Misao?" She called. "Misao, are you there? It's Sakura – Tenchi and Ryoko's friend. If you're there, come out and speak to me – someone's come to take you home!"

There was no answer, only the sound of wind rustling through the trees and Sakura frowned, pausing beneath the leafy green boughs as she gazed all around her for any sign of the missing girl.

"I know I saw something, or someone." She murmured. "But who…and where?"

She raised her gaze to the branches that, in spring time, bore her namesake flower petals, but there was no sign of a child there either, and she sighed, leaning against the trunk of the nearest one as she pondered things over.

"Misao?" She called again. "Misao, everyone's worrying about you!"

"And so they should be worried, letting poor little Misao disappear like that."

A voice came from the pathway behind her, a taunting, teasing note in her tones and Sakura swung around, gazing all around her for a sign of the speaker.

"Look up, idiot. You won't find me all the way down there."

"Up?" Sakura frowned, doing as she was bidden, and letting out an exclamation as she saw the figure perched carefully on the edge of one of the sturdiest branches. "Hey, who are you? And where did you come from? There was noone there just a second ago!"

"Where indeed?" The girl's eyes twinkled with mischief as she leapt deftly down from the tree, landing gracefully on the dirt in front of her companion. "Who can say? Here and there. There, mostly."

Sakura frowned, taking in the stranger's unfamiliar appearance with some amount of confusion. The girl that stood before her was not tall, and at first glance Sakura thought that she was probably little more than a child herself, although the humour that danced in her honey-coloured eyes suggested a wit and a spirit that outweighed her young years. Thick curls of hair, the colour of saffron flowed across her shoulders, a glittering silver band in the style of a mock coronet holding it back from her face. Her clothes were like nothing the young Earth student had ever seen. She was dressed all in black and purple, and Sakura could tell that her attire had been designed for ease and stealth of movement, but wisps of delicate gauzy fabric flitted in the breeze, adding a certain sophistication to her appearance.

As the silence threatened to become oppressive, the girl laughed, tut-tutting under her breath as she put her hands on her hips.

"It's rude to stare, you know. Don't they teach you things like that on this backwater planet?" She asked playfully. "Naughty, naughty. You should know better than that, at your age."

"I'm sorry." Sakura looked startled. "I just…who are you? Are you another friend of Tenchi's? But…did you say you knew where Misao is? If you've seen her, we need to find her. Will you help?"

"Help?" The girl looked amused. "I wouldn't say I'm exactly the helpful type, sweetie. But if you're looking for Misao, I'll give you some advice for free, just because you look pathetic enough to need it. Leave her alone – don't keep looking for her. You'll find yourself in trouble if you do – I don't take kindly to people meddling in my affairs."

Sakura's eyes opened wide with alarm at this, and she stared at her companion with new eyes.

"You have Misao!" She whispered. "You've kidnapped her, haven't you? Where is she? Why have you done this? Who are you, dammit – answer me!"

"What are you going to do to me, if I don't, Earthling?" The girl hopped idly from foot to foot, cocking her head on one side. "I know where Misao is, sure enough. But kidnap? Please. I don't need to kidnap anyone to keep them away from idiots like you. You really don't know anything, and that's a shame. I'd hoped I'd at least find someone on this planet who'd be a little bit of fun to play with."

"To…play with?" Sakura echoed, non-plussed. "Aren't you a little too old to be playing games?"

"I guess you'll just have to do." The girl shrugged her shoulders, spreading her hands out in front of her and Sakura let out a gasp as glittering shards of light began to hover together around her foe's fingers, bonding together into a bright silver blade that stretched down into a gleaming ebony hilt. As the light began to fade, Sakura saw that it was not a sword that the stranger held, but that the odd implement was more like a fan in its makeup, though it's razor-sharp steel glinted in such a way that the Earthling knew making contact with it could cause her serious harm. A strange aura surrounded the girl, making her appear both sinister and ethereal as the light of the blade was reflected in her jewel-like eyes. Instinctively Sakura took a step back, but the hard trunk of the tree was behind her, and her opponent advanced, flexing her fingers as pieces of glittering star-shaped shrapnel shot out towards her, pinning her neatly in place.

"Your name is Sakura, isn't it?" She said quietly, as she advanced on the frightened Earth girl. "And this is a sakura tree. I like that…don't you? A good place to die, isn't it, combining your blood with that of your namesake tree?"

"Why are you doing this?" Sakura whispered, struggling to quell the rising panic that shot up within her heart. "You're making a mistake – someone will come looking for me and they'll stop you! I swear that they will!"

"They might try." The girl's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "But that's okay by me. I like a challenge – a touch more excitement than a weakling like you. Even slitting your throat will be a disappointment to me, but I guess if it's all I've got, I'll do it anyway. You should have left Misao alone, you know, Sa-ku-ra. She's none of your business, after all. You should have just turned your back."

Sakura clenched her fists, closing her eyes as she waited for the flash of the girl's mystical blade to wreak its way across her throat, slicing through her skin to the vessels and airways beneath. She could feel the girl move closer, until she was aware of a faint whisper, like the wind, somewhere near her ear.

"My name is Misa." The girl murmured, her tones all the more sinister for their lack of volume. "I'd say remember it...but there's no point."

Sakura flinched as something hot and prickly touched her throat, and there was the sound of amused, playful laughter.

"Smile, sweetie." The voice teased, but there was a dark note in her tone. "The game's over...and now you get to die."