Title: Warriors of Light and Shadow; Chapter 6: Revelations

Author: Storm Bringer

Rating: PG-13

E-mail: the_storm_bringer@hotmail.com

Author’s Notes: Just want to say thanks to Bambi Star for once again taking time out of her day to make this chapter that much better.

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters in this story…except for the bad guys. They’re mine; for all that it matters.

* * * * * *

Ice cream is considered by many to be the comfort food of choice, ranking just above chocolate anything. Why this is so, is something that scientists around the world have been endeavoring to discover for many years now. Despite having spent millions of tax dollars on high-tech machinery, state of the art brain analyzing equipment, and roughly 635,000 gallons of ‘Ben and Jerry’s’ though, research seems to be going nowhere.

The process involved in studying ice cream as an antidepressant goes something like this:

First, one of the scientist becomes very depressed using such renowned methods as "I Just Want To Be Friends," "The Cat Was Hit By A Car," and the ever popular "My Mother Is Coming For A Visit." After becoming suitably melancholy, the chosen scientist—they never use test subjects or lab assistants—gorges him or herself on randomly chosen flavors of ice cream. Test results have shown that the subject perks up seventy-nine percent of the time after eating ice cream, yet no one has been able to figure out why this is so.

The problem exists within the test results themselves. Whenever they reach the ice cream eating stage of the experiment, something always seems to go wrong. One of the expensive machines breaks down suddenly, the scientists who are supposed to be watching over the experiment go on their lunch break, or the power mysteriously goes out in the building and everyone is forced to eat all of the ice cream before it melts. This branch of research has yet to submit a decent report concerning their findings.

Despite being plagued with problems though, the ice cream division is the one all prominent scientists clamor to be assigned to, so there is hope that eventually something will come of it.

Ranma polished off her second chocolate sundae and peered into the empty bowl with a slight feeling of disappointment. She brightened considerably when she noted a small pool of chocolate that had eluded her, and used her finger to scoop it out of the bowl into her waiting mouth. Smacking her lips in contentment, she leaned back in her chair with a blissful smile and debated on whether or not she should order another one.

Her companion had much more important things on her mind. "This isn’t working."

"Hmmm?" Ranma looked over at Usagi, who was sitting across the table from her. The blonde was poking disinterestedly at her own, half-eaten sundae, which Ranma eyed hungrily. "What’s not working?"

Usagi left her spoon sticking up out of her sundae like a flag and pushed it aside. Laying her arms on the table, she rested her chin on top of them and gazed down forlornly at the tabletop. "The ice cream. I still feel depressed."

That was understandable. From what Ranma could determine, those four girls at the school earlier had once been Usagi’s closest friends. Now they seemed set against her for some reason. Something to do with a Princess and that brooch Usagi was so fond of. That didn’t make a whole lot of sense, but Ranma was somewhat used to life not making much sense.

"Those girls at school…" She paused, unsure as to whether or not her words would open fresh wounds, then plunged ahead. "They were the ones you told me about right? One of them is the one that hit you?"

Usagi looked up at Ranma, her blue eyes misting over for a moment. "Yeah," she said softly, "that was them."

Ranma nodded, somewhat unsure as to where to take the conversation from here. She had no idea what was really going on between Usagi and her former friends, but she did know that the blonde was in need of comfort. Unfortunately, Ranma had never been good at providing emotional support. Still, Usagi had done so much for her in the last few days that the redhead felt she should offer what she could in return even if she had no experience at this kind of stuff.

"Do you want to, uh, talk… about it?" Usagi didn’t say anything; just stared up at Ranma, her blue eyes studying the redhead as though searching her face in hopes of finding something she had lost. "I mean, ya know, I hear talking about your problems can, uh, help, or somethin’."

Rising, Usagi looked out the window, watching as people passed by the small ice cream shop she and Ranma had come to after the incident at school. "I need to go use the restroom," she said unexpectedly before walking towards the back of the shop.

Blinking in confusion, Ranma stared after Usagi. "Guess I blew that," she muttered to herself. "Shoulda just kept my mouth shut."

Letting out a long sigh, Ranma slumped forward in her chair, elbows on the table and eyes resting unseeingly on the half-eaten sundae Usagi had left behind. Her thoughts wandered over the events of the last few days as she tried to make some sense of her life. This was a difficult task given the fact that her life had never made much sense in the first place. What Ranma did manage to get out of her brief introspection was the sense that she was drifting through life with no real bearings.

Where was she going? How did she plan to get there? Before, when she had been traveling with her father and later when she was staying with the Tendous, these questions had had ready answers. She would marry Akane and carry on the dojo. But, as everyone had discovered just a few days ago, these answers were not the ones Ranma was looking for.

So then, what was she going to do with her life? She sure couldn’t spend the rest of her life living with Usagi.

"Excuse me, miss…" spoke a scratchy voice that intruded on her thoughts.

"Huh?" Ranma looked up to find an old man dressed in a faded blue and green kimono standing next to her. He was mostly bald, but a few wispy gray hairs appeared here and there, and a long beard flowed nearly to his waist. Two blue-gray eyes peered intently out of a face that still held strength despite its lined and weathered appearance. "Can I help ya with somethin’?"

"I was just admiring your sword," he replied, gesturing to the weapon taking up the seat next to Ranma. She had lost the cloth wrapping at school and so now the katana lay bare to the world. "It’s very old, is it not?"

Ranma scratched her head. Seeing no real harm in telling the truth, she said, "I suppose so. It’s supposed to be a family heirloom or somethin’, so yeah, I guess it’s probably pretty old."

"May I see it a moment?"

The redhead considered this request, eyeing the old man suspiciously. Her track record with old men was sketchy at best. Finally, she decided he seemed harmless enough and handed the katana over cautiously.

The old man drew the blade from the sheath, and Ranma almost snatched it back as several heads swiveled to stare at the sword. He looked it over carefully, seemingly ignoring the fact that it was broken. Setting the sheath aside, the old man ran his fingers over the bared steel, then he flicked the blade gently, causing it to give off a faint ringing noise. Nodding to himself, he resheathed the katana and handed it back to Ranma.

"It suits you," he said cryptically. "A strong blade for a strong warrior, but its edge is a bit dull. Once it finds a focus, it shall be a fierce weapon indeed." Then, before Ranma could say a word, he bowed and walked away.

For the second time in only a few minutes, Ranma was left staring after someone in pure confusion. "Whatever," she finally muttered, shaking her head and settling down to wait for Usagi to return.

* * * * * *

The bathroom mirror threw Usagi’s reflection back at her, but she wasn’t sure she recognized the person it revealed. A girl whose shoulders sagged with a weight that was immeasurable, whose soft blue eyes were filled with unshed tears, whose features were etched with a pain that was felt deep down in her soul. She didn’t like what she saw there in the mirror.

"Why?" she asked herself softly, the question pertaining to a great many things. No answers were forthcoming.

Sighing to herself, Usagi turned the faucet on and splashed her face with cold water, trying vainly to wash away the memory of what had happened at the school that afternoon. It did no good, the image of all her friends arrayed against her remained horribly vivid. Her hands gripped the side of the bathroom sink, squeezing until her knuckles went white and pain lanced through her fingers.

She couldn’t go on like this! She was still thinking of them as her friends, but they weren’t. They were the enemy now, just as she had told Ranma.

Ranma…

She, he, whatever, was the only ally Usagi had now, her only friend. That was why she had come in here in the first place, to decide what to tell Ranma. Trust was important in a friendship, in any relationship, but Usagi wouldn’t be trusting her friend with only her secret; the secrets of the others would be on the line as well. Usagi’s fists clenched, tightening around the porcelain sink until she thought for sure it would shatter.

The enemy had no secrets she had to hide from her friend.

Releasing her death grip on the sink and shutting off the faucet, Usagi left the bathroom and headed back to where Ranma was waiting for her. The redhead was slumped down in her seat staring off into the distance. She didn’t even realize Usagi had returned until the blonde tapped her on the shoulder, startling her from whatever thoughts had been occupying her mind.

"Huh?!" exclaimed Ranma, her head jerking around. "Oh, you’re back."

Usagi smiled. "C’mon, let’s go for a walk."

Ranma blinked, a bit confused at the attitude shift. "Uh, okay, sure."

The pair left the ice cream shop and strolled down the street in comfortable silence. Ranma followed along next to Usagi and seemed on the verge of speaking several times, but each time she decided it would just be better if she kept quiet. Usagi was busy organizing her thoughts, trying to determine the best way of telling Ranma what she needed to know.

Usagi led Ranma to a nearby park that she knew of, both girls taking a seat on one of the benches dotting the scenic pathways meandering through the park. Even then they didn’t speak for some time, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Usagi began to talk, gaining Ranma’s full attention rapidly.

She told Ranma everything, starting at the very beginning and ending with the recent destruction of Pharaoh 90. Usagi showed the redhead the crystal hidden within her brooch, the prize that the enemy now sought to claim. She even talked about Mamoru, although just speaking his name threatened to cause her heart to break and tears to fall. When she was done, she sat there staring down at the ground, waiting for whatever reaction her words might bring about.

A long silence stretched between the two. For a brief instant, fear wrapped its chill fingers around Usagi’s heart. Would Ranma want nothing more to do with her now that she knew the truth? Would she be left friendless and along again? If that were the case then Usagi thought it would be better if she simply died.

A strong arm settled across her shoulders, offering comfort. "I’m sorry," said Ranma softly.

Usagi looked up and saw compassion in Ranma’s features. She hadn’t really expected this. "What?"

"I’m sorry," repeated the redhead. She fidgeted, looked uncomfortable for a moment, then continued. "I’ve never had any really close friends, so I can’t say I know exactly what you’re going through. I’ve never even had a real girlfriend, at least, no one I cared for as much as you cared about that Mamo jerk."

Ranma looked away for a moment, then back again. "I do know that you’re probably the nicest person I’ve ever met though, and that what those others did to you really hurt. If I knew what to say or do to make the pain go away, I would say or do it, but I’ve never been good at this sorta stuff. All I can say is that I’m sorry, and that…if you need me…I’ll be here for you." Ranma suddenly looked abashed as she noted the tears leaking from Usagi’s eyes. "I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to make you cry…."

Tears flowed freely down Usagi’s face, and Ranma’s words had indeed brought them out, but not in the way the redhead thought. Usagi embraced the redhead, burying her face in Ranma’s chest. Unsure as to exactly what to do, Ranma held the blonde gingerly, patting her back.

"Thank you…" whispered Usagi. "Thank you…"

* * * * * *

Mamoru watched from some distance away as Rei vented her increasingly ill temper on her grandfather, shouting at him about some small infraction she had most likely imagined. The usually easy going old man was obviously taken aback by the onslaught judging by his lack of witty comments. No one else paid Rei’s tantrum much heed.

Each of the Senshi were wrestling with their own problems, trying to sort through the jumbled mass that comprised their feelings and doubts, remembering happier times. Only Haruka and Michiru seemed unfazed by recent events, sitting close together as they spoke in subdued voices. There was an air of tension about them though, as if they were waiting for something unpleasant and not wholly unexpected.

With a weary sigh, Mamoru rubbed at his eyes, which were grainy from lack of sleep. Every time he laid down and closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep, he saw her face hanging over him, bright blue eyes filled with hurt and betrayal, pure rage showing in the set of her features. That image tore him up inside, rent his soul and left his heart aching and raw.

But what was he supposed to do?! It was his duty to marry the future Queen of Crystal Tokyo, the Moon Princess. His fate had been cast millennia ago. He couldn’t just toss it all aside because he thought, maybe, his feelings for Usagi ran deeper than he could ever imagine. Especially not now that a new enemy had appeared. They needed the strength that could only come from presenting a united front, one devoid of doubts.

They also needed the Ginzuishou. Even if they couldn’t use it’s power, it would be better to have one of them guarding it, someone more…reliable than Usagi, who was no longer considered a member of the team in any case. They would need it when they found the true Moon Princess.

That was the main reason they had met this afternoon; besides discussing the attack at the school. How were they to gain possession of the Ginzuishou short of hitting Usagi over the top of the head and just taking it? That idea had been presented and discarded based on the fact that no one wanted to bring harm to their former leader. Mamoru thought it was too late for that, the injuries already inflicted on her were simply invisible to the rest of the world.

It had finally been decided that they would just have to wait for an opportunity for taking the crystal to present itself. At the insistence of Haruka and Michiru though, it had also been decided that if the situation became dire enough, they would take the Ginzuishou using whatever methods proved necessary. Mamoru saw the need for this stipulation, but it didn’t sit well with him. The idea of hurting Usagi more than she had already been hurt caused him to feel slightly ill.

He turned to watch as the sun set. The blood red orb cast its hazy red light across the city and into the shrine courtyard where everyone was gathered, setting aflame the faces of the angry, the forlorn, and the stoic. Mamoru watched until the sun had finished its decent, and then pushed himself away from the wall he had been leaning against and headed for home. A few heads turned to watch him go, but no words of goodbye were spoken by anyone, including himself. Such words would have held too much finality for anyone, so they simply contented themselves with silence.

* * * * * *

Nabiki watched the scene unfolding before her with only a passing interest, finding nothing new or amusing in the tear-spewing, roof raising tirade her father was currently engaged in. She did find it highly surprising that he was still coherent, though. The only reason she paid any attention at all was because it helped to take her mind from the current problem for a few moments.

"This is all your fault, Saotome!" roared Soun, grabbing his boyhood friend by the collar of his gi and jerking him up so that their faces were inches apart. "If you hadn’t allowed your son to walk out on my Akane, none of this would have happened!"

"Whoa there, Tendou," said Genma, wiping spittle from his face. "I had nothing to do with that and you know it. If you want to yell at someone, yell at Ranma. Hah, I’ll even help you beat him up when we find him! Foolish boy! Disrespecting his elders like that!"

Soun began shaking Genma then, tears spraying from his eyes. "But we’ll never find him in time!" he wailed. "Not before…!" He released Genma and collapsed to his knees. "AKANE!!" Watching the waterfalls gushing from her father’s eyes, Nabiki wondered if maybe she should go get a bucket so they could start bailing before they all drowned.

"There, there, Tendou," comforted Genma, patting Soun on the back. "We’ll get her back somehow. Well… maybe not we, but you, or maybe someone else. What about that Ryoga boy that’s always hanging around here? I bet he could do it since my worthless coward of a son isn’t around. He…" Genma trailed off as he suddenly became aware of the harsh blue glow surrounding Nodoka, who had been forgotten at the head of the table..

"You will not speak of our son in that manner, husband," she said coolly, one hand twitching towards the katana that was no longer there.

"But…uh…what about…" Nodoka’s eyes narrowed and Genma looked as though he might wet himself. "Yes, dear," he squeaked.

Nodoka held him with her gaze for a few moments before turning it on Nabiki. It softened then, and the glow faded. She no longer looked angry, only very tired and very old. Lines that had not been there a few days ago now marred her features.

"You can find him?" It was almost a statement.

Silence suddenly descended over all those gathered there as everyone turned to look at the middle Tendou daughter. Even Kasumi, who had said nothing on the matter so far, now looked to her younger sister, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. Even her constantly cheerful demeanor could only take so much before it crumbled.

"Ten days," said Nabiki simply. "If he’s still in Japan. If not…" she trailed off. It would take months and there was a good chance she would never find Ranma. Her contacts outside of Tokyo were unreliable at best, outside of the country they were virtually nonexistent. Still, she saw the hope shining in the eyes of all her family and friends and could not bring herself to shatter it. Ice Queen indeed. "Ten days," she repeated, rising from where she knelt at the dining room table.

Outside, a crimson sun was setting, falling towards the distant horizon like a bloody tear. Nabiki watched it make its slow passage down behind the towering skyscrapers that dominated the skyline, lighting the sky on fire as it went. Then she turned and headed for her bedroom. There were phone calls she had to make, favors she had to call in.

"Hold on sis’," she said quietly to herself.

* * * * * *

"LET ME OUT OF HERE!!" screamed Akane, straining to free herself from her bonds.

Her words bounced from the walls of the darkened room, echoing eerily in the blackness surrounding her. There was no answer. Akane growled. Someone was going to pay for this, pay dearly!
She had been knocked unconscious during her fight with that weird armor guy who had showed up at the school earlier that day…or maybe it had been yesterday, or even longer, she had no real idea. Akane had awakened here, alone in the darkness with only a few small blue lights glowing on a nearby interment panel to keep her company. She was hanging spread eagle in the air, her hands and feet firmly trapped within steel cylinders.

The fact that she had lost the fight at school so easily made her angry. The fact that she was trapped in a very uncomfortable manner and had been so for what seemed like several hours, also did nothing to improve her mood. But what really made her mad was the fact that she was completely naked. Whatever pervert had stripped her while she was unconscious was going to regret it when she escaped. And if they had done more than just strip her… She found herself wondering what it would feel like to kill someone.

Of course, all this was dependent on her escaping first. The bonds that held her feet and hands appeared to be quite strong and very unwilling to release her no matter how much she strained. As much as she hated to admit it, she was going to need help in escaping. And where was she going to get this help?

Akane hung her head. Not from Ranma, the man she had relied on so many times in the past. He was gone from her life forever. A wave of sorrow washed over her at this thought. Here, alone in the dark with no one to spy out her feelings, she could admit that she cared for him. Cared for him more deeply than she had ever admitted, even to herself.

Suddenly the darkened room was flooded with light as a door slid open, allowing the light from the hallway outside to shine in. Akane squinted into the light, trying to see whomever it was that was finally coming to pay her a visit. She could make out nothing but a dark outline framed in the doorway. It wasn’t the man from earlier, of that she was sure. This person was much too small.

"Greetings, Akane Tendou," greeted the figure as it stepped into the room, the door sliding shut behind it.

It was a mans voice, and Akane felt her face burn with rage and embarrassment.

"LET ME GO, PERVERT!!" she bellowed.

There was a soft ‘click,’ and lights in the ceiling above switched on, chasing the darkness into the far corners of a small room constructed from steel panels. Aside from the contraption that held Akane, which consisted of two cylinders bolted into the ceiling and two to the floor, the only other things in the room were a table covered with vials and jars, and a large computer sitting along the wall directly across from Akane.

As she had concluded upon seeing the outline of her visitor, the man standing before her was not the one that had attacked her earlier. He was shorter and of much slighter build. Black robes trimmed in gold fell over what she suspected to be a bony frame, the darkness of his clothing clashing violently with the stark paleness of his gaunt face. Short-cropped black hair seemed to stick up from his scalp in every direction, openly defying gravity in some cases. Two very tired brown eyes studded Akane intently, causing her face to turn brilliant scarlet and sending her anger through the roof.

"YOU %$@# PERVERT!! WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE YOU ARE SO @#$&% DEAD!! YOU HEAR ME, YOU &$%#@ BASTARD?!! IF YOU SO MUCH AS TOUCH ME I’LL RIP YOUR BALLS OFF AND HANG THEM ON MY MANTLE!!"

"Oh dear," said the man, looking very taken aback. "I’m afraid you completely misunderstand our intentions. I do not desire you in any sexual way and I would not resort to such vulgar means as this if I did."

Akane was trying to work moisture back into her mouth, preparing for another tirade, when it suddenly came to her that she believed this man. She wasn’t sure why she believed him, just that she felt he was being perfectly honest with her. This, however, did not make her any happier with the current situation.

"If that’s true then give me back my clothes!!" she shouted.

The man shook his head. "I can’t do that, they would interfere with the transfer of magical energies needed to conduct the transfiguration. I’m afraid that you will have to spend the next several days unclothed."

Transfiguration? "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO ME!?" Yelling a lot helped keep the fear that was welling up in her stomach down.
"Would you please not yell so loud?" asked the man as he removed his hands from over his ears. "I can assure you I can hear you quite well."

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!!"

The man winced. "Umm… That is not such an easy question to answer. You see, it involves a lot of magical and scientific theories that I do not believe your race can understand at this point in your evolution." He shrugged apologetically. "Sorry."

Akane swallowed hard, trying to work up the energy to shout some more. All that previous yelling had dried out her mouth and her throat was becoming sore. She felt that she had only one more good shout left in her. Best to save that for later. Right now she needed information.

Taking a deep breath, she calmly asked, "What can you tell me?"

A long moment of silence ensued as the man considered this question. "I will tell you who we are, why we are here, and what part you are to play in all of this," he finally said, then paused for another few moments so that he could order his thoughts.

"My name is Geail. The man you fought at the school was my brother Vanik." A pained expression crossed Geail’s features. "It may not have seemed like it at the time, but the fight between the two of you wore him out considerably. He was low on energy, you see, and should not have been fighting in any case. We really had no choice though, and he is well, only a bit tired, so everything worked out.

"But I digress. My brother and I are not from your world, or even your solar system. We are from a distant planet known as Phokah." Geail let out a tired sigh and his gaze became distant. "Once it was a beautiful world, vibrant and teeming with life. Our race worked with both the powers of magic and technology, building a civilization that was wondrous. We navigated the heavens, our peoples spilling out across our solar system and beyond. And that was how we discovered the Roh Shin, another highly evolved race of beings."

Geail’s face became a mask of anger. "We did nothing to them! Nothing to provoke the wrath they directed towards us! We sought only peace and an exchange of knowledge, but they would not listen. The Roh Shin attacked, and many lives were lost." The anger melted away, replaced by a very weary look in his eyes. "Our powers were equally matched, but I feel that this was more of a detriment then a help. If either side had been notably stronger then perhaps we would have been able to avoid the fate that awaited us.

"The war between our races was long and brutal, spanning some six decades. I will not sicken you with the details, only tell you that in the end it was we who were victorious. But the price was high. Our colonies were smashed, the Roh Shin were mounting a massive attack on our home world, throwing everything they had left at us in a last ditch attempt to win the war they had started. We had no chance of repelling them with what little remained of our forces. Our armies were shattered, our greatest warriors killed long ago. But we did have one last card to play.

"Our most powerful magi—those that remained—tapped into the very life force of our planet and used it as a weapon against the invading Roh Shin. With such power in our possession we wiped them out easily. It was very impressive to watch, but the repercussions for using such a tactic were two fold. First, and least, was the fact that we lost all those magi who had brought their powers together to save us. The second effect was much more devastating.

"Even as we celebrated our victory, we noted that something was wrong. There was a feel in the air, one that spoke of death and decay. We looked around us then, really looked, and we realized something terrible. Our world was dying, falling apart before our very eyes. In our final efforts to repel the Roh Shin, we had exhausted the life force of our planet, effectively killing it. And with it went the last of our people, slowly wasting away along with Phokah."

Akane could not help but feel sympathy for this man and the others of his race dying somewhere far away. She never considered the fact that he might be lying to attain just such a reaction from her. For some reason she could not explain, she knew Geail told the truth, that he would not lie to her in order to further whatever cause he served.

"What does this all have to do with me?"

Geail looked up at her then, and hope flickered briefly in his eyes. "There is a way to save our planet. It exists here on the Earth, a powerful crystal known as the Ginzuishou. But seven powerful warriors known as the Sailor Senshi hold this crystal, guarding against those who would seek its power for their own. Perhaps you have heard of them?" Akane shook her head, and the man continued. "We must have the Ginzuishou if our race is to live, but we no longer have the strength to wrest it from the Senshi’s grasp without help."

"If you need it so badly, why not just ask them for it?" asked Akane. "I’m sure they’d give it to you if they knew it would save an entire race."

"If only it were so easy. The Senshi are indeed kind and would no doubt wish to help if they heard of our plight, but they could not give up the Ginzuishou even if it meant saving my people. The crystal is this planets only defense against the dark creatures that wander the universe searching for places just like the Earth, where there is an abundance of energy for them to devour." He shook his head. "No, the Senshi would not hand over the Ginzuishou and I would not expect them to do so. This, however, means that we must take it from them.

"As I stated earlier though, we do not have the strength to do this alone. That is where you come in."

Akane couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. How could she possibly help these people after being so easily defeated by Geail’s brother? And even if there was a way…

"I won’t help you," she stated forcefully.

A small smile crossed the man’s lips as he gazed up at her. "Of course you won’t. Not willingly. But you and the others will help us after we… change you. I am sorry for this, but it is the only way and I am more than willing to sacrifice this planet to save my own."

The sympathy Akane had felt earlier was rapidly being replaced by anger once more. "Others? What others?! And what do you mean change?! What are you going to do to me?!"

"I believe you know the other two girls we have taken captive. The ones called Ukyou and Shampoo. You should feel honored. The three of you are the most powerful young women on this planet, aside from the Senshi, of course. A pity we couldn’t use your other friend, Ranma, but the process I will be using to enhance the three of you only works on females."

Honored? Enhance? "LET ME GO!!"

Geail sighed. "I’m afraid I can’t do that. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go see about the others." He turned his back on her then, ignoring her loud stream of colorful and descriptive tortures that would be inflicted on him when she managed to free herself. Just before stepping out of the room, Geail paused and turned back to Akane. "I’m sorry," he said softly. "I truly wish there was another way."

Then he was gone, turning off the lights as he left and leaving Akane alone in the dark once more.