The Light Within

[08.25.00] » by Kyo Kenchiro

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"Where'd Hiro go?" Wakaba asked. Lord Shu, who was preparing to set off alone for Tenzan Pass, stopped in his tracks, but kept his gaze off in the direction of the gate.

"That man," spoke Shu "will need my help. But you mustn't come. I'm sorry. This is about his future." Shu kept turned away from Wakaba merely to hide his anxious expression. He knew he wouldn't have a moment to lose.

Wakaba sprinted up to Shu with a desperate look. "BUT but...but I must see him again...I...he needs to teach me more! So please! I'll use my martial arts on you if you don't!...Please!!" Wakaba's eyes were beginning to do something they rarely did. She was beginning to cry.

Shu merely said nothing and continued walking at his brisk pace. "...gggrrrrrRRRRR!!! TAKE ME YOU!!!" though she didn't give herself time to finish her threat. Her next move was a mindless flying kick straight at the back of Shu's head.

Shu made no effort to duck or even block at all. It was Wakaba's master that saved him. Long Chan-Chan's leg crossed Wakaba's path, causing her to go flying right in front of Shu's feet. L.C.C. stood there unnerved, Wakaba layed there confused, and Shu stood looking down at the warrior girl. "He will decide" announced Shu "if you are in his future or not. That's not my decision, and certainly not your's."

Wakaba was still on the ground wondering what had obstructed her path. Upon kicking to her feet and looking back, so did her eyes dilate. "Master! Why have you..." but she was unable to continue.

"Wakaba! Think about what it is you were going to do! The second most important man in our army...was going to be wounded by yourself! You will pay dearly in hard training! Get back to the dojo!!!" At this point, L.C.C. was fuming with a fixed and ferocious gaze on his pupil.

Wakaba stood looking at her master, knowing not what to do. She felt a storm of crying coming on. But she couldn't abide such behavior...

"I will make mention of you if you wish..." declared Shu, but he was too late. Wakaba had already ran out of the castle screaming in rage and fury. "...*sigh*...I apologize for driving your student to hysterics." said Shu.

"Nonsense. She is undisciplined and over-emotional. She needs much more training!" called out L.C.C. with his arms out part-way.

"Consider, oh honorable one, taking it a little more easily on her. She is a girl in her adolescence, afterall. And besides, she doesn't seem to be the only young woman to have taken a fancy for Lord Hiro. That's all I can tell you. I must leave now." said Shu, who resumed walking away, despite L.C.C.'s protests.

"What are you talking about!! She is my pupil!! I MUST TRAIN HER HARD!!" and with that, L.C.C. slumped over, walking back to his dojo to meditate.

**********

Wakaba ran through the forest, bare-footed as fast as she could. Her hair was collecting leaves, and her garb was becoming rugged and ripped. It seemed every few seconds or so, she would snag her robe on a branch or thorn. Nevertheless, her ferocity never faultered, her sprint never let up. That is, until a bear happened into her way. Their initial reaction was stupification. But upon impact, the bear remained intact, while Wakaba flew, for the second time today, to the ground.

Now she was at the mercy of the bear. It flung its front-quarters into the air above her, sounding off a warning cry. Wakaba stood quickly, launching an enraged foot at the bear's chest without delay. Her foot deflected right off the bear's chest, who stumbled back a step or two, but managed keep its ground for the most part. Wakaba's courage faultered, leaving the bear enough time to counter-attack. It lunged forward with one great paw and swiped the side of Wakaba's face, causing a number of things, foremost of which was leaving three four-inch long gashes on her cheek and knocking her to the ground once more. The bear then feel back onto all fours, gave a warning snort, and lumbered away, huffing every few seconds. Wakaba was dizzy and felt ready to pass-out, but she managed to keep her fury at a high level. "Come back you!! You coward!! Finish me off!! You must! It's...it's..." and thus her consciousness failed her. She layed in the forest, unconscious, with nobody knowing where she was...or so it seemed.

"C'mon, young one. It's a nasty scratch but you'll live..." was the first thing Wakaba heard after passing out. Her eyes fluttered open, but her vision was still blurry. "Oh good. You're awake. Viktor, get her some tea." Wakaba recognized the voice of the blue lightning warrior. She blinked a few times more and sat up.

"Here, drink this. Made it myself!" boomed the proud-sounding mass in front of her, whom she could've mistaken for another bear, had it not spoken human language.

"Don't scare the girl, Viktor...afterall, that bear was bigger than you. The least she should have to worry about is poison..." Flik's sarcasm touched a warm chord in Wakaba's memory and she felt safe....but just for a moment.

"Shuddap...and since when are YOU mr. hospitality?...anyway, take it all in slowly..." She felt a cold cup come to her lower lip as her vision regained clarity. She grabbed the cup from Viktor's hand briskly and firmly and glugged it to nothing more than an empty cup. "Easy now! You'll choke before we have time to tell your master the good news!" those words sent a chill down her spine. Wakaba knew she'd be in for some harsh punishment. It was all that occupied her mind for the rest of that day. Especially when she set a foot in the dojo.

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"WAKABA!!" called out L.C.C. who was standing at the other end of the dojo, in a battle outfit. The girl in subject merely flinched slightly, then slumped over, trying to ready herself for any discipline. "Wakaba!...I've been so worried!" and the great sensei dashed to his pupil and thrust his arms around her, embracing her tightly. Wakaba's eyes exploded open. What was this all about? Why has her master decided to care about her all of a sudden? Wakaba eventually warmed up to the idea and placed her arms around her master's back...but something bugged her. She was still feeling pretty lousy about being beaten by that bear....finally her fury rebuilt, and her protests resounded in L.C.C.'s ear.

"NO! Master! You must teach me! You train me to become a killing machine! WE MUST START NOW!!" both of them loosened their grips on each other. "I am weak! YOU MUST TEACH ME TO BE STRONG!" Wakaba's eyes were on fire just as a phoenix might ignite itself at the end of its life.

Long stood looking at Wakaba, his eyes almost pleading. "Wh...wha? Wakaba...but you are wounded...you must rest!" Wakaba cracked. She was sick of being weak. And now she would prove she was going to be strong. She leaped into the air, flipping forward, bringing a foot around onto L.C.C.'s head. While her master fell onto the mat, Wakaba bounced confidently to her feet, drawing her fists front-side and clenched to do battle. L.C.C. sat up, still disbelieving, blinked once, then jumped to his feet, also rearing himself into battle stance. He understood how she felt. He had had the same experience in childhood. Although he had lost to an actual person. "Wakaba...if thus is your desire...then PREPARE yourself for ferocious training you won't soon forget!!" but it only made her more excited. Her heart was beating as fast as she wanted her fists to pound into the bear's stomach and face. She leaped forward as fast and explosive as her legs could fling. L.C.C's leg did the same. Their meeting sent them both flying at a 90 degree angle from whence they leaped.

**********

And thus her training began. Often it would wear on twelve hours through the day with only one break in the middle, when they would race up to Hai Yo's cafe. Each would eat four bowls of rice and two bowls of tempura-don. Everyone would marvel at how much they ate, especially a girl such as Wakaba.

"Hey....think you could squeeze in enough time to eat dinner with me?" asked Sheena in a sly voice. Long looked at Sheena with a tilted brow. Wakaba stopped eating, turned to look at Sheena with a surprisingly-stern expression, and stood up. She stood there, looking at him, then decided to go back to eating...

...after she layed a whirlwind kick into Sheena's face with breakneck speed. The womanizer flew into a wall and fell onto his face, unconscious. "You've been needing that, my dear fool..." said Wakaba, who promptly sat back down and resumed eating, despite everyone's bemused stare. Suddenly a storm of applause and cheers arose throughout the cafe, at the trouncing of the hormonal agitator. Wakaba, as said, remained fixed upon her meal, going onto her third bowl. L.C.C. smiled and went back to eating his own lunch. Sheena was out of it for five days.

And so resumed the training. Wakaba's kicks were beginning to exceed the speed of Stallion's running, who actually willingly accepted her challenge to fight. The quick elf evaded so fast, it didn't seem like he was moving at all, that her kicks were going right through him. Stallion jumped back a few steps, holding out his hands. "Look...I'm just to fast for you to touch. But I refuse to lay a finger on a girl, so let's just call it a stalemate, eh?" Stallion shrugged. Wakaba became enraged.

"WEAKNESS!" cried Wakaba who launched her heel at Stallion's cheek. He ducked at the last moment, but found a small scratch forming along Wakaba's flight path. Stallion turned sharply, just in time to take witness to Wakaba's new skill. "TORNADO BARRAGE!!" screamed Wakaba in fury. Stallion prepared himself, but before he knew it, he was being kicked rapidly from all directions, or so it seemed. Wakaba was actually spinning around the elf, kicking him all the while.

Wakaba let up, but only to draw back for a finisher. Stallion stood there, dazed and aching. He wasn't anticipating a cannonball to broadside his chin. Or perhaps he hadn't time to think about it. He was on the ground within microseconds. Wakaba stood over him with a firm look. "...Foolish to challenge me, futile to try to win." and thus she tightened her headband, walking away to train more. Stallion was in bed for five weeks.

**********

Wakaba was, by now, beginning to surpass her master. And it was clearly evident. To L.C.C.'s dismay, Wakaba began to prefer training alone in disgust at the weakness everyone showed. She could now tear a hole through a stone slap with one sharp kick. And nobody could surpass the speed of her feet...except maybe the skill of Flik's blade. They would see.

Flik wandered into the dojo one day, watching Wakaba train. He harkened her. "Hey Wakaba...I've had a few complaints about excessive violence. I'm sure it's just rumors but..."

"They're all weaklings." said Wakaba coldly, not looking at the warrior.

"Well...look...it's gotta stop. And I mean it. No more badly injuring people...understand?" declared Flik confidently. He crossed his arms, looking at Wakaba with a light smile. Her eyes turned to his own and began flaring. Flik knew instantly what that meant. He laid a hand on the grip of his blade, and took a step back. Wakaba merely strode toward him.

"It's not my fault they could not fight. And it's not my fault if you get hurt." she warned with an even more cold tone. She continued to stride, Flik continued to grip his sword harder and harder.

At last Wakaba was within striking distance. Flik lost all control and panicked. "I SAID STOP!" he called, with a sudden lunge of Odessa++. But...she was no long there. Flik's eyes dilated and he looked around, growing more and more afraid. Then he turned.

Wakaba's voice was shaken, but also as fear-inducing as ever. "Leave me..." she said merely, but followed up with an ultimatum. "SPINNING DRAGON VORTEX!!!" was all she yelled before Flik found his vision overwhelmed with white. Wakaba jumped, spun, and launched searing ki waves in all directions, including through Flik's stomach and arm. She landed. He landed. He fell, bleeding profusely. She walked back to her post and continued training as if nothing had happened. A maid approached Flik silently and dragged him away for care. He was handicapped for five months.

**********

And so it continued for two months. Wakaba became stronger and stronger. More and more people were injured. L.C.C. came to her one day, nervous and fearing for his life. He pleaded with her. "Wakaba!...Please! Please consider retiring from your...y-y-your quest to defeat anyone stronger than you...please!" Wakaba turned from her training, walking calmly up to her old master. She picked him up in one arm by the collar of his tunic before he had a chance to retreat.

"There is only one who I consider worthy of my challenge now. And when I meet him, I will..." but her voice trailed off as she saw a familiar silhouette in the doorway. She tossed L.C.C. aside, looking up at the figure with growing excitment. At first she didn't know what to say. But she soon mustered the words to utter. "Yes. It is you."

Hiro stood in the door, looking down at the warrior girl with a grim expression. He simply shook his head and took a step into the dojo. "Come." ushered Wakaba with sparkling eyes. "Come so that I may test my strength! Your power is the only one unmatched. That is, until today." and with that, Wakaba unfurled herself into fighting stance. Hiro just stood there, looking at her in shame.

"Come fight me!" Hiro did nothing. "VERY WELL! Prepare yourself!!" and thus Wakaba flung a foot in his direction that seemed to teleport from her standing point. Yet Hiro merely stepped to the side an inch. Wakaba's eyebrows tilted downward in an angered look. Taking one more twitch, she leaped to locations unknown, leaving Hiro to stand there and continue sighing in disgrace. Suddenly Wakaba appeared in a circle around him, kicking him at light speeds from seemingly every direction at once. Hiro had drawn a tonfa just in time, and moved it around him at the same frequency and locations that Wakaba's mighty kicks struck. Finally she leaped back, sweating all over, but breathing even harder. Her teeth and fists were clenched, but Hiro simply stood in his same spot, looking at her piteously.

"Please...stop..." he said calmly, almost mourningly.

"SUCH WEAKNESS!! AAAHHH!!!! SUPERNOVA SUPREMACY!!!!!!" screamed Wakaba loud enough to shake the dojo. Her figure began glowing, the floor under her began shaking. Hiro sighed once more, and readied both tonfa. Then, with a flash of light, Wakaba was gone. Hiro's tonfa shone outward held besides him, and Wakaba was then on the ground, seemingly in no time after the beginning of her attack. Hiro's tonfa vibrated slightly as he twirled it around his fingers and put it away. He kneeled calmly down next to Wakaba, who's eyes were open and crying. She did not hold back this time, despite all her training and victories. "You...you are...the better opponent...*sniff*...and I have...lost my soul to myself...*sob*"

Hiro, a tear sliding down his own cheek, picked her up and held her, in an embrace that he intended as a show of affection. Wakaba set to crying into his collar bone through his robe, while Hiro rubbed her back. In a voice that would have calmed Luca Blight to sleep, the young hero began his attempt make Wakaba feel better. "It's alright. You were led astray, not by your own weakness, but by your strength. Your strong emotions and drive, while leading you to victory, have confused you. But worry not. You are strong enough. For me, and for yourself. It's alright to stop trying to be better, as long as you are completely content with what you've become...And I am, if that makes any difference." Wakaba's crying had subsided to a sniffle here and there. But suddenly she found herself extremely angry. Not with Hiro, not with anyone else, but herself. She pushed Hiro away and ran to the back of the dojo, grabbing a tanto knife.

"You might be happy with me! But you shouldn't be!!" she called out with anguish. " I AM EVIL!!" and thus she thrusted the blade into her gut, and fell to the ground.

Hiro looked at her, barely managing to mutter "No..." from under his quickening breath. He rushed to her side, his eyes wide open, desperation crawling over his psyche.

"It...it is too late...I thank you for being so kind to me...and for...being such a good leader...I hope in death to...become as great as you..." and her eyes closed.

Hiro's response did in fact shake the dojo, which Wakaba's earlier cry only threatened to do. "NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He thrust his hands to his head, crying out in grief, his right hand beginning to glow brightly. Suddenly, a shower of green light sprayed out in all directions. It bathed everything in its glory. Including Wakaba. Just as she felt the warmth setting in, her eyes were marauded by the green brilliance. She opened them, but covered them with her hand to shield from the blinding radiance. Then, as the light subsided, she found the source of the light on the ground as she had been.

"Hiro...Hiro!? HIRO!!" Hiro was on the ground, his cheeks pale, looking up weakly at Wakaba who had all too recently been brought back from the dead. He held out his hand, which Wakaba grasped firmly, but still had no idea what had happened.

"The...rune..." started Hiro. "...it...it takes the life of its owner if...if its true power is used...alone...and so I...I...apologize but...I must be saying farewell again..." Wakaba merely sat there, frozen in a million emotions and shocks at once. Then, Hiro took his turn to fall silent. And there he lay.

Wakaba dropped Hiro's hand as if it had been on fire. Then she fell to her feet and started crying hardly than she ever had, because she didn't know what else to do. She was crying so hard that she didn't notice the blue orb of light forming to her side. But she did hear the woman's voice.

"Don't cry, my child." Wakaba sat up sharply, gazing at the cloaked woman with a pained look. "While it's true that the rune will take the life of whomever uses its full power alone, there is one condition that should be noted." said the seer calmly. Wakaba still looked at her, tears flowing through her eyes as hard as ever. "You see, I am the one named Leknaat. I know many things about the true runes, including the Rune of Beginning." Hearing the name Leknaat, Wakaba stopped crying and merely sobbed, listening with a word. "Giving up the most valuable property the bearer has - his life - is an act which is very foolish...only if he is giving it up for a common star. Yet if he serves one of his own Stars of Destiny as selflessly as they serve him, a power is unleashed that can do many things. But among them, revive. Bring everyone here, and you can save your friend." And with those words, Leknaat disappeared much the same way she appeared, in an orb of blue light. Wakaba sat there, silently a few moments, taking it all in. And as soon as she realized what she must do, she stood and ran out, calling all the Stars of Destiny to rush to the dojo, that their hero needed them. Nanami and Jowy ran to the dojo without concern for speed, worried for their "brother's" life. Everyone on the tablet, even Luc, gathered together around Hiro, mourning and muttering. Huan kneeled next to him, checking for a pulse. He looked at everyone, then shook his head. Everyone went silent. Except one person.

"HEY!" called Wakaba, who ran through the crowds of people and stood next to Hiro. "We must join our powers! We are the 108 Stars of Destiny and so can we create a power as high as any of the true runes! Everyone! Join hands!" And Wakaba grabbed Huan's hand, who grabbed Jowy's hand (even though he was not a Star of Destiny), who grabbed Nanami's hand, who grabbed Shu's hand, who grabbed Apple's hand, who grabbed Sheena's hand, who grabbed Flik's hand (despite his injury), who grabbed Viktor's hand, who grabbed Ridley's hand, who grabbed Eilie's hand, who grabbed Gen Gen's hand...and so on...until Zamza grabbed Wakaba's hand and the circle was complete. Nothing happened...at first. But then a very calming and warming wind flowed theough the dojo. Everyone felt at peace, but in the center of it all, a calm, shining light flowed down onto their leader. The light sparkled and twinkled. And it set awe in even Clive and Pesmerga's hearts. And within seconds, Hiro was rising to his feet, blinking, and looking around. All he knew was that Everyone was gathered around him smiling, but saying nothing.

Which is just what Wakaba said as she approached him, grasping his lips with hers and kissing him gingerly. Hiro kissed back almost instinctively, and the two of them stood there, embraced and joined while everyone else looked on. Not one of them any care at that moment. They were happy and that's all they knew. Hiro suddenly thought he heard his grandfather speak to him as he kissed Wakaba. Always remember that spirit, the spirit which calls to gether the Stars of Destiny. Hiro didn't exactly care what was said, just that he couldn't be happier.

**********

It cannot be said if Hiro lived the rest of his life with wakaba, at least not yet. You see, I'm merely a witness. But I normally do the snooping. You can hire me for 1,000 potch a job, if you stop by Radat. But I'll find you if you need help. That's a Richmond guarantee!

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Well...was it any good? I didn't wanna make it too emotional, but I thought some would help things a bit. Please send me any comments! My e-mail address is ikarishinjimirai@cs.com This is my first finished fanfic, so I wanna know how I did! Well, see ya all later! Word.