Trials of Destiny



    Ranma 1/2 and all of its characters and situations are
the creation and property of Rumiko Takahashi. I use
these characters and situations without permission.

        Chapter Six: Divine Intervention

    "The dreamers converge, and the warriors face the 
	dark one. The Ohmikami will soon return." ~ Unknown

****

    "What's with you?" Nabiki whispered to her side as
the teacher had begun to call out attendance.

    Kuno had walked into the class moments earlier, just
before the bell had gone off. He regarded Nabiki with
mild interest, but did not answer right away.

    "Well?" she asked impatiently. "You gonna leave me
here waiting, or are you going to answer me?"

    "Nabiki Tendo," he began, "I know not why you bother
me in such a fashion, but I wish it to stop."

    Nabiki narrowed her eyes and leaned back in her seat.
Kuno had had a serious look on his face since he had
entered the room, much more serious than Nabiki was used
to.

    "Tell you what, Kuno-baby," Nabiki replied. "You tell
me what's up, and I'll give you a discount on the next
batch of pictures."

    Tatewaki looked over at her. "Discounts mean nothing
to the wealth of the Kuno family. I am insulted, Nabiki
Tendo." He looked up. "Further, I do not believe I will
have any use for pictures of Akane Tendo or the
Pig-Tailed Goddess any longer."

    Nabiki's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

    "I've... I've no longer the need for them, Nabiki
Tendo. There is a greater force at work, and I find I
cannot be distracted by them, as lovely as they may be."

    Nabiki couldn't believe her ears. Kuno? Giving up
Akane and Ranma?

    "Now I know something is up. Tell me, Kuno."

    "You need not know, Na--"

    "Don't give me that, Kuno," she glared at him. The
affectionate tone she usually used with him absent.

    Tatewaki sighed. "Very well," he began, "I was
subject to a confrontation with Saotome."

    There was a loud rapping at the door, and the teacher
went to answer.

    Nabiki narrowed her eyes. "And?"

    "I... learned something of importance from him. He
firstly began with the nonsense I've heard from him many
times stating that he and the Pig-Tailed Goddess are one
and the same."

    Nabiki shook her head in disgust. "Go on."

    "But I learned--" He was interrupted by the teacher.

    "Tatewaki Kuno," he announced, "You are wanted at the
door."

    Nabiki lowered her brow in annoyance. She looked over
to the door where Tatewaki was now approaching.

    Then she looked on in confusion. Ranma and her
sister? She was pretty sure she could see the telltale
white robes of Mousse by the side of the door as well.
Something was up.

****

    "Saotome?" Tatewaki asked, looking at the small crowd
around the doorway. "What is the mean--"

    "Cut it, Kuno. You wanted to talk about Jusenkyo," he
started, "well it's time to speak."

    "Saotome, I know not why you bother me at this time,
school--"

    "School can wait. You remember the dreams? You
remember there were others?"

    Tatewaki narrowed his eyes. "Indeed. Several."

    Ranma gestured towards the people around him. "Meet
some of them."

    "What?" Kuno tilted his head back in suspicion. "What
do you mean?"

    Ranma shook his head. "What the hell do you think I
mean?"

    "Look, if he's coming, then get him to come, but if
not--" Mousse began.

    "Come where?"

    "The Nekohanten," Ranma replied. "Cologne might know
something about all of this."

    Tatewaki looked up in thought. "Cologne. Is she not
the Amazon Elder?"

    "Yeah, that's her."

    "And why would she know anything of this?"

    Mousse shrugged. "She just does. Are you coming or
what?"

    Tatewaki looked back into the classroom. Nabiki was
staring at them in confusion, and his teacher was
watching in annoyance.

    "Very well," he said. He turned back to the class and
spoke to the teacher.

    "An emergency has arisen that requires my presence,
honoured teacher," he announced. "I must make my leave,
though I will make up for any schoolwork I may have
missed."

    The teacher sighed. "Very well, Mr. Kuno. But this
will be marked on your record."

    "I understand."

    He turned back to the group. "Let us leave."

****

    What was that about? Nabiki couldn't figure it out
for the life of her. But wherever something interesting
was happening, there had to be money in it. She stood up.

    "Teacher?"

    The teacher regarded her with mild interest. "Yes,
Ms. Tendo?"

    "I've got to leave, too."

    "For what reason?"

    Nabiki narrowed her eyes. The teacher wasn't supposed
to be questioning her. She smiled and replied. "That was
my sister in the group."

    The teacher sighed. "Sit down, Ms. Tendo. If that's
all it is, then--"

    "Teacher, need I remind you of--"

    The teacher stood up. "Ms. Tendo, I said--" he
paused. He seemed deep in thought for a moment, and then
looked towards Nabiki. "Very well, but this too will be
marked on your record."

    Nabiki scoffed. As if it would. Not if the teacher
knew what was good for him.

    Nabiki made it her business to know people in high
places. Even though her teachers weren't considered
people in high places, it was still good to be able to
know them.

    And this teacher, she knew the best out of all of
them. She often used teachers to modify students grades,
and this one was no exception. However, in order for them
to do that, she had to either pay them, or have some
inside information on them.

    As it was, she knew that this teacher had a fetish
for schoolgirls. And the teacher knew that she knew.
Things could get very ugly for him if it were to be
released.

    So Nabiki grabbed her bag, and walked out the door.

****

    "What is it, old one?" Kima asked. "I don't have the
time. The breeze grows stronger inside the mountain. Soon
we may have to place wind barriers."

    The old man sighed. "There is something... wrong with
Saffron."

    Kima narrowed her eyes. "What?"

    "Nothing serious, Lady Kima. Not life threatening in
any way, I assure you."

    "What is wrong with him?"

    "He... He grows."

    "Of course he grows. How else will he reach the age
of his next transformation."

    "No. He grows quickly," the old man continued, "He
grows... like the prophecy."

    Kima widened her eyes. "The prophecy?"

    "Yes, Lady Kima."

    "What age is he?"

    "He walks now, and speaks, Lady Kima."

    "How?"

    "This morning, I woke to find him standing. He knows
few words, as any infant at his stage does."

    Kima paused. "The wind," she said. "Then the time is
near?"

    The old man nodded. "Yes."

    "What does Saffron say?"

    The old man sighed. "Few words. Among them are Fei
Liang, and..." He looked up at her. "...The Darker."

    Kima took a deep breath. "Take me to him."

****

    "Father?" he asked.

    The grown man turned around to regard his son.
"Herb," he began, "do you know why I've summoned you?"

    Herb sheepishly shook his head. "No, father."

    "I summon you here because I must." He looked at his
son in disgust. "If not for this reason, then I would
have left you to rot with the... females."

    Herb winced. He was very sensitive of his banishment.
"Yes, father."

    "But a time of great importance is approaching, Herb.
My son." He smiled.

    Herb looked up. This was the first time his father
had called him 'son' since he had found out of his curse.
"Father?"

    "I was rash to have treated you so. I had forgotten
our old ways."

    Herb shook his head in confusion. "Old ways?"

    "My trusted advisor brought something to my
attention, Herb." He looked at him. "From the days of the
wars with the Phoenix."

    "The Phoenix? What do they have to do with this?"

    "Once they were our enemies, Herb. We have long since
made the truce. But you do not yet know the details."

    Herb shook his head. He was confused beyond all
belief.

    Originally, he had gone to japan to retrieve the
Open-water Kettle, and return it to his father and cure
his locked form in the process. He had cured his locked
form, but not the curse itself.

    His father was overjoyed to hear of the return of the
Open-water Kettle, but was enraged to find of his sons
curse. He banished him to the woman's encampment, which
was forever to be separate from the warriors.

    Herb was among the animals. The animals turned human
by the power of the Nyannichuan. The animals, and the
daughters of the Musk.

    Women. Weak, weak women.

    But then he had received word from his father,
bidding his return.

    And now he stood, listening to the story his father
told.

    "Herb, fifteen hundred years ago... The beginning of
the Musk. The day of our independence from the
Joketsuzoku..."

    "I've heard the stories. We were freed from our
slavery and then released to the wild. We had to turn to
the animals for our help and salvation."

    "Yes. Soon after, the Joketsuzoku stopped their
slavery, but still did not treat men as equals. That is
why we banish women from our camps, to live on their
own."

    "I've heard the story many times, father. What of the
Phoenix war?"

    "It started as a disagreement. They wished the waters
of Jusendo, which feeds Jusenkyo to be used for their
purposes, to allow their king to reach adulthood."

    "A selfish cause."

    "The Musk were sure of that then. But soon after, we
realized why it had to be done."

    "What?"

    "Herb, what is kept from most is the true outcome of
that war."

    "I know what the outcome was, father. We beat the
Phoenix, and they retreated to their mountain and begged
for a truce."

    "No. We did not win the war, Herb."

    Herb blinked. "What?"

    "Neither did they, really. A higher force descended
upon the battlefield."

    "A higher force?"

    "A whirlwind."

    Herb narrowed his eyes. "A whirlwind in the battle?"

    "It was of godly origin, my son. Fei Liang, to be
specific."

    "Fei Liang took interest in the battle?"

    "He stopped it. He forced the truce. But he told us
something of great importance."

    "What?"

    "With him was a man. A man from the center of the
Chinese world. A prophet of sorts."

    "Who was he?"

    "The name escapes me now, my son. But the prophecy
remains in my mind. Fresh."

    "What was it?"

    "A dragon prince who is a princess, both of and not
of the Musk; shall travel across the sea in search of a
resolution. The pot shall be returned to the home, and
that is the sign of his coming."

    "That..."

    "That is you, my son. A prince of the Musk, and a
princess not of the Musk."

    "But, the sign of whose coming?"

    "The prophecy says that you shall be joined by others
fighting for your cause. Warriors of long ago, reborn to
the new world. They shall fight by your side."

    "Against who?"

    "Against a dark force, my son." He sighed. "There is
another part of the prophecy."

    "What is it?"

    The King of the Musk sighed, and then began to tell
his son of the second part of the prophecy.

****

    Kima smiled at the toddler as it walked towards her,
its wings stretching happily.

    "Kii-ma!" the toddler exclaimed.

    "How does... How does he know me?" Kima asked.

    "The prophecy, Lady Kima. If I am understanding it
correctly, Saffron shall soon retain the memories of all
his previous existences."

    "All of them?"

    "Yes."

    Kima looked down at her king, who was now flapping
his wings experimentally.

    "Then, of the Musk?"

    "We shall soon find out."

    Kima sighed. "We shall."

    "The breeze grows stronger, Kima." the old man said.
"Soon Saffron will be able to rule once again."

    Kima nodded. "Yes, he will."

    Saffron smiled and looked up at his captain of the
guards. "Kii-ma good!"

    Kima smiled. She had never received this much praise
during her kings last existence.

****

    "Hold, Rogi," a voice called from the east.

    "You will go no further," another voice warned, this
time from the north.

    "You should not have been allowed to progress this
far," a third voice announced, from a western direction.

    "You will leave now, before we destroy you," the last
voice said from the south.

    Rogi smirked. "Now who could this be besides the
honourable Shi Tenno," he said, "come to witness my
servants and the coming of your new master?"

    "You will not intimidate us, Rogi," the east said.

    The south continued. "If you do not leave our lands,
we will have no choice but to destroy you."

    "As if you could," he said, staring into the
distance, at the city before him. "Such strange
advancements mankind has made. Have you guided them in my
absence?"

    "The advancements made by man are theirs alone,
Rogi," west answered.

    "You will not destroy what they have accomplished,"
north continued.

    "Ahh, I may not, but that who I serve may."

    "You serve no one but yourself, Rogi," east said.

    "You would be surprised, minor gods."

    "We are not so minor that we cannot defeat you."

    Rogi turned to face the east. "And your pathetic
queen was? If it had not been for the intervention of Fei
Liang, I would have consumed her."

    "Maybe so, Rogi. But you stand upon our land now, our
source of power."

    Rogi laughed. "You think it would matter? Pathetic
protectors of the land. I could smite you easily, and
then continue to the city of gray towers."

    "You will not, Rogi. We will not allow it."

    "And if I defeat you, Shi Tenno? If I defeat all four
of you?"

    "There will be others."

    "I shall smite them as easily as you."

    "We shall see, Rogi. A mere demon does not have the
strength of a god."

    "Is that what you think I am? A mere demon? Amaterasu
thought that as well. The form I wear now is human. The
form I once wore was demonic. My true form you have yet
to see."

    North, south, east and west clenched their weapons.

    "We destroy you now, Rogi," they said in unison, as
if they were a single organism.

    Rogi stretched his arms out, black electricity
crackling between his outstretched fingers.

	"You can try," he said.

	And then they advanced.

	The Shi Tenno were known as fierce warriors, willing
to protect the lands of Japan at any cost; even though
the cost may be their lives.

	North started with a frontal attack with his polearm,
striking Rogi squarely in the chest, and followed it by
hooking his leg.

	South took him from behind, a sai in each hand. He
plunged the first deep into Rogi's back, and he used the
second to push his leg forward, dropping him to the
ground.

	East slashed Rogi's arm with a golden katana, causing
him to scream in pain.

	West stood his distance. He shot several arrows into
Rogi's chest.

	Rogi laughed. He laughed as he was struck in the
chest. He laughed as he was stabbed through the back. He
left as he was cut in the arm, and he laughed as the
arrows penetrated him.

	And then he laughed as each of the Shi Tenno were
sent flying through the black energy the Rogi released
upon them.

	"Insects." He smiled. "You bother me no more than
mere insects."

	North got up, and stood his ground. "Any insect has
the ability to drive a man to insanity, Rogi."

	Rogi smiled. "But I am not a man, Shi Tenno."

	And then they attacked again. But this time, Rogi
didn't wait for the attack. He struck first.

	North was blasted back against a tree near the side
of the field in which they fought, leaving a distinct
impression upon it.

	South was pummeled into the ground by the force of
gravity which emanated from Rogi.

	East's katana was ripped from his hands and used
against, as if by some unseen warrior. He was slashed to
ribbons.

	West stood his ground.

	Rogi smirked. "Will you not attack me, Shi Tenno?
Will you not protect that which you were born to
protect?"

	"There is protection, Rogi, and then there is
foolery. To attack you now at loss of my life would mean
the end of Japan."

	"Ahh, a smart one, aren't you."

	"Rogi!" North groaned, trying to stand up after being
forced into the tree. "You will not destroy our land."

	"I have no intention of that. Yet."

	"Very well, Rogi. To fight you now, after our power
being diminished for so long was foolish. We would prefer
to remain alive to protect our land."

	"Smart, aren't you?"

	"Here it is, Rogi," West said. "You will go. You will
fetch your servants, and then you will leave. Any more
and we will be forced to attack you again."

	Rogi laughed. "As if you could! But very well, Shi
Tenno. If you would prefer that, then that is what I
shall do. I shall fetch my servants, and then head to the
west."

	"That is what we wish, Rogi," East said, bleeding
from every limb.

	"Then allow me on my way, Shi Tenno."

	East stood aside, and allowed Rogi to pass. He
laughed as he continued onward.

	"Have we made a mistake? Allowing him into the city?"
East asked.

	North shook his head. "We had no choice. He would
have smitten us."

	"What will we do now?" South asked.

	West sighed. "Only one thing. We must try again."

	"To awaken the Ohmikami?" East looked to West.

	"That is our intention."

	"We tried the first time. We had no success," North
informed them

	"The heat arose from her. She was close," West
replied.

	"But another could kill her," South brought up.

	"And if Rogi regains his servants, all mankind and
god alike will die."

	"Very well. Then we shall."

****

	"All right, Cologne. What's happening?"

	"Son-in-law," Cologne greeted. A moment later, she
spotted the others. She looked towards Mousse. "I asked
you to bring the dreamer, not the whole city."

	Mousse shrugged. "I know, but we found something
out."

	"Which is?"

	"We have found, honoured elder, that we each have
been experiencing these dreams. We are under the
assumption that you would know of their origin," Tatewaki
interrupted.

	Cologne sighed. "So that's it. The thought had
crossed my mind, however I had never really accepted it
as a viable outcome."

	"So what's going on, old ghoul?" Ranma asked.

	Cologne walked over to him, staff in hand. "First
things first. Which of you dreamt?"

	"That would be me," Ukyou said.

****

	Shampoo spent the entire time sitting at the table,
listening to what was happening. Every bone in her body
wanted her to jump towards Ranma and hold him in a loving
embrace, but after the talk her Great-Grandmother had
given her, she knew better.

	She was too busy lost in her own thought to notice
that her Great-Grandmother had paused. She looked around
suspiciously, batting her eyes from left to right.

	"What wrong, Great-Grandmother?"

	Cologne looked towards Shampoo. "We are not alone,
child."

****

	"The old one. She senses us," North mentioned.

	"It matters not, we are not here for her," West
replied.

	"Is she not one of the reborn?" East asked, his
wounds almost fully healed.

	"Indeed. I can feel the presence of one within her,"
South answered.

	West shook his head. "We must try again. And we must
be stronger this time."

	"Very well," North said, and then stood to the north
of the subject.

	"All our power, then," East said, and then stood to
the east of the subject.

	"We must awaken her," South said, and then stood to
the south of the subject.

	"We start now," West said, and then stood to the west
of the subject.

****

	"What do you mean, we're not alone?" Ranma asked.

	"I mean just that, son-in-law. I can feel the
presence of others."

	Everyone in the Nekohanten looked around in
confusion.

	"There be none other than ourselves," Tatewaki
informed her.

	"Listen to me, boy. When you live to be as old as me,
you get a sense for this type of thing. We are not
alone."

	Ukyou blinked. "I... I think I feel it too," she
said.

	Everyone looked towards her.

****

	She could barely feel it at first. A little twinge in
her gut. But moments later, it had evolved into full
fledged pain.

	Ukyou could do nothing but scream. She doubled over,
clenching her stomach, still screaming. She was aware of
the presence of the others, but it didn't matter. All she
could feel was the pain.

	And then none. She fell unconscious.

	Which was strange in itself, because usually when one
fell unconscious, they were just that. Unconscious.

	Ukyou, however, was fully aware of what was happening
outside of her body, as well as what was happening
inside. The only difference was, instead of the searing
pain, there was a light.

	A light brighter than she had ever seen. A light that
made her want to enter it, if such a thing was possible.

	A moment later, the pain started again, and she
screamed.

****

	"Ukyou?!" Ranma called. "Ukyou, what's wrong?!"

	"Move aside, boy," Cologne said, closely examining
the screaming form on the floor.

	"What's wrong with her? Dammit, tell me!" Ranma
called.

	"I'll know in a minute if you stop screaming in my
ear!"

	Cologne placed her hands upon Ukyou's heart, and then
moved to her forehead. She took her hand away with a
jerk.

	"What's the matter?" Ranma asked.

	"She's hot."

	"A fever?" Akane broke in.

	"Nay child. This is too hot for a mere fever. It
burned my hand." Cologne showed her withered hand to
Akane, and the large red mark that was covering two
fingers.

	"She... burned you?"

	"Yes. There's not much I can do here, I've not the
supplies." She turned to Ranma. "We'll have to take her
to a Doctor."

	"Doctor Tofu, he's only a block from here!" Akane
yelled, frantically.

	"Then we shall take her there."

	Ranma scooped her up in his arms and was out the door
in a flash. He was soon followed by several of the people
inside the Nekohanten.

****

	"Have we done it?" North asked.

	"I believe we may have," West replied.

	"We may still have a chance, then?" South asked.

	"Let us hope so."

	"She will be brought to the old man," East mentioned.

	"Let us hope he can continue what we had started."

	"Indeed."

	"Let us rest, brothers. We must do so in order to do
battle."

****

	"So, then there's no problem now, Mr. Satohara?"

	"No Doctor, thank you," Takao Satohara said with a
smile as he tested his hand out.
	
	"Well, come back in about a week if the arthritis
acts up again, I'll--" Tofu began. He was interrupted by
a feral cry from the doorway.

	"DOCTOR TOFU!"

	Tofu nearly lost his balance, he turned to exit the
patients room and went to the front door.

	Ranma, Akane and Cologne stood there, with Ukyou in
Ranma's arms.

	"What's wrong?"

	"I don't know. She just started screaming, and then
she started burning up!" Ranma said, as quickly as he
could.

	"Quickly, get her on the table," he said as he
motioned towards the table at the side of the waiting
room.

	Ranma did so as quickly as he could, he pulled away
and groaned in pain.

	Tofu couldn't believe it. Ranma had burns all over
his arms.

	"What happened to you?"

	"I told you, she was burning up!"

	Tofu shook his head. "Look, clear some space. I'll
take care of Ukyou first, and then I'll take a look at
those burns."

	All of them backed away. Tofu quickly grabbed his
medical kit and pulled out several tools. He reached
towards her forehead and--

	"I wouldn't advise that, Doctor," Cologne warned.
"When we say she is burning, we mean it. Her skin is no
cooler than flame."

	Tofu blinked. No cooler than flame?

	He pulled out an electric thermometer and stuck the
temperature gauge in Ukyou's ear. As he pulled it away to
check the temperature, he gasped.

	The digital display had melted into itself. Even the
part Tofu was holding was getting too warm for comfort.

	"What is going on?"

	"We told you, doctor."

	Tofu shook his head. He reached into his medical kit
and pulled out a cloth. He had to do something.

	"Wet this for me, Akane," he said as he handed it to
her. She did just that.

	Returning with a wet cloth, she handed it to Tofu,
who placed it on her forehead. He pulled it off a moment
later and frowned.

	The part that had been touching her forehead was
charred.

	"This isn't possible," he said.

	"Doctor, she is burning through her clothes.
Something must be done!"

	Tofu frowned. There was nothing he could do. He just
had to check one more thing, though.

	He gritted his teeth and pulled her eyelids up
barehanded. The pain surged through him, but as he looked
into her eyes, he pulled away.

	Tofu had been blinded.

	"Her eyes," he began, covering up his face with his
good hand, "They're bright! It's like looking into the
sun!"

	"Step aside, Tofu," another voice came from nearby.

	Cologne looked over to the source and dropped her
jaw. "You..." she muttered.

	The newcomer looked over towards the old woman and
smiled. "Hello Cologne, it's been a while."

****

	"How can you be here, Feng Bo?" She asked. "It's been
thirty years!"

	"Let's not worry about that right now, Cologne. I've
got to care for this child."

	He reached towards her.

	"No, you can't," Tofu said, "She's burning."

	"And she will continue to burn unless I do something
about it, Tofu. She is nearly hot enough to combust, and
I don't think you would wish that of your clinic."

	"No, but--"

	"Don't give me buts, Tofu. It must be done."

	Feng Bo placed his hands upon Ukyou's forehead. He
didn't flinch, nor did he feel the pain from the heat.

	He felt the heat, but no pain. It was rather
pleasing, actually.

	He moved another hand down to her chest, and then
closed his eyes.

	Cool. Yes, he could feel it. She was cooling. His
touch had caused it.

	Slowly, bit by bit, she was cooling.

	"You may touch her now, she has cooled to a bearable
level."

	"Hey..." Ranma began, "How'd... how'd you do that?"

	"It doesn't matter, it's over for now."

	"For now? You mean it will happen again?"

	Feng Bo nodded. "It may. Then it may not, it depends
on her."

	"Ukyou?"

	"Is that her name now?"

	"What do you mean 'now'?"

	"Feng Bo, when will she awaken?"

	"Soon. I think it would be best that she be with
friends when she awakens. I cannot even imagine what she
must be going through inside."

	"What do you mean? Is she in pain?"

	Feng Bo closed his eyes. "I believe so."
	
	"Well, can't we wake her up now, then?"

	"Ranma--" Cologne held on to the boy's side. "Trust
what Feng Bo says. He has no desire to hurt Ukyou."

	"But, if she's in pain--"

	"If we were to wake her up," Feng Bo began, "She
would never see again."

	"What?"

	"I may have fixed it so she may be touched, but her
eyes still possess the fire. Soon, that will dim as well,
but she does not possess the power to protect herself
from that yet."

	"What do you mean?"

	Feng Bo sighed. "You will find out in due time. All
of you." He looked towards Cologne. "All of you."

****

	She heard every word of it. Every painful word, every
spine chilling word.

	It wasn't the words that were painful, nor the way
they were spoken. But the words were spoken while Ukyou
was in deep pain.

	But most of the pain seems to have died, it was now
at a dull echo of what it was only moments earlier.
Something was happening to Ukyou Kuonji, and she was
scared.

	Not scared of death. Not scared of the pain, but
scared of the unknown. Why it was happening to her.

	It meant something.

	Moments later, the pain died, and Ukyou found herself
standing in a dark room, as vast as her imagination could
carry.

	She turned around, searching for a wall, a ceiling, a
floor. Anything.

	But found none. She was in the dark, alone.

	Or was she?

	"Hello?" she called out into the blackness.

	There was no answer.

	"Is there anyone there?" she called again.

	Still no answer.

	But there was something... something else she
couldn't place. Something hidden in the blackness.

	And then something happened. A dim light, it seemed
to be miles away, but it shed enough light around her for
her to see herself.

	She was wearing her school uniform, but it seemed to
be tattered and torn. No... burned.

	"Hello?" she called towards the light.

	"Hello," it answered dimly.

	Ukyou sighed. There was someone else there, a female
voice. She wasn't alone.

	"Who is you?"

	"I am me."

	Ukyou blinked. Not the answer she was expecting.

	"What do you mean?"

	"I mean what I say."

	"But who are you?"

	"I have had many names."

	"Give me one," Ukyou asked.

	"Sol."

	"Sol? I've never heard of you."

	"And who are you?"

	"Ukyou. Ukyou Kuonji."

	"I am pleased to meet you, Ukyou Kuonji. Are you of
the reborn?"

	"The who?"

	"No, I suppose you wouldn't know." The light grew.

	"Who are you, exactly?"

	"I am Amaterasu. I am honoured to meet you, Ukyou
Kuonji Ohmikami."