Send C&C to: oddball22@hotmail.com Find my stories at: www.geocities.com/kaiphantom2000 Ranma 1/2: New Challenges The Phoenix and the Dragon Chapter 5 Miyo filled the glass from the kitchen tap, then headed back into her library. Actually, the small library technically wasn't hers, but belonged to her mother. However, she hadn't seen either of her parents in many years. She knew her father had passed away when she was young, but her mother had departed several years ago, when Miyo started high school. The money that periodically arrived, helped support her, and Miyo guessed her mother must still be out there, sending it to her. The young fortune-teller shook her head to clear her thoughts, as the activity she planned for tonight would require her full concentration. She sat down at the small circular table that served as the Magic Circle's meeting place, setting the glass of water down; she knew from experience how thirsty she would be after this. Her gaze then found the crystal ball that was held in the simple tripod stand in the center of the table.. Somehow, she felt tonight was the night, after all her previous attempts to probe the mysteries of the orb failed. This only served to heighten her anxiety, since for some reason, she desperately wanted to see what happened next. Never before, in all of her mystical occult studies, had she felt this eager or driven. Calming herself by taking deep breaths, Miyo reached out and placed her hands on the cool surface of the translucent sphere, smiling in excitement when it began to glow with her touch. As the world faded to view once more, Miyo almost thought she hear the door to her study open... Akara groggily blinked her eyes open, feeling strangely cramped and comforted at the same time. "Oh, it's just Tenma," she mumbled to herself, then closed her eyes and snuggled closer. Her eyes suddenly flew open. "Wait a minute, Tenma!?" Fully awake, Akara beheld the sleeping Saotome on her bedroll. "You PERVERT!" *WHAM!* As her unwanted bedmate went flying, Akara stood, glancing at the other bedrolls scattered around the extinct firepit. The memories of the past two days of travel, including their decision to stop in this small grove for the night, flooded back into her mind and she shivered. As the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, she reflected on the journey thus far, feeling a surge of unexplainable hope that they would succeed. After all, she knew that today would be the day that they would arrive back at the besieged Kuno castle, if they moved fast enough. Then they'd face the challenge of breaking through enemy lines to deliver the message to the beleaguered forces within. Momentarily, her gaze drifted over her companions; Ryo and Yukio, Xian Po and Mu Shu, and even Konisha. She realized that, even though nothing was in it for them, they all were risking their lives to help her. A heavy feeling settled over her, as she felt both immense gratitude as well as the weight of the responsibility that if they didn't make it, their deaths would be on her head. *CRASH!* Akara mused. "Why must violent girl make so much noise in the morning?" Xian Po complained, as she stretched and yawned. Yukio sat up, sleepily rubbing her eyes. "Yeah, sugar, what's the big deal makin' a ruckus so early?" "Sorry." Akara looked embarrassed for a second, then shook it off and began to pack up her things. "We need to get up early anyway, if we want to arrive today." "I go catch breakfast," Xian Po offered, grabbing a bow and a quiver of arrows and starting off into the forest. "Be back soon." "Wait, Xian Po-san," Konisha called, heading after her friend. "I shall come with you." "Xian Po, I shall go with you, too!" Mu Shu added. Xian Po held up her hand to forestall the male Amazon. "Girls only, but if Mu Shu really want to help, you can pack up the supplies and prepare a fire." Mu Shu deflated some. "Um, sure." Xian Po nodded, then resumed her walk into the forest with the Kuno girl. He sighed and went about his task, with visibly less enthusiasm. "D-did you sleep well, Akara-san?" Ryo asked. "Can I help you with anything?" "No, I'm fine, Ryo-kun," Akara replied as she rolled up her blankets and repacked them. "Thanks for the offer though." Ryo sighed, as he went about packing up his own bedroll. Yukio observed the exchange, and frowned. "Coward," she said, loud enough for him to hear. He turned on her. "What!?" Yukio glanced at Akara's back, then grabbed Ryo's arm and hauled him off, until both were hidden from the rest of the group by several trees. "What are you doing?" Ryo snarled, finally managing to get her to go. "You love Akara," Yukio stated matter-of-factly. "I, uh, I do!?" Ryo sputtered, twiddling his fingers.. "What, uh, makes you think that?" Yukio rolled her eyes. "Look, you want Akara, and I want Tenma. All you have to do is be a man and show Akara how much you care." Ryo continued to fiddle. "But, uh, I.. that is... she..." "She likes you." "She-she-she does!?" Ryo nearly squeaked. Yukio sighed, wondering if her half-formed plan would survive contact with this idiot. But really, she didn't have any other choice; there were no other usable guys around. Tenma hadn't show much interest in her besides a childhood friend, seemingly preferring Akara. Tateyama had stayed to guide the other Amazons with Ranko, and Mu Shu didn't show any interest in anyone other than Xian Po. He was the only male available to her to use. "Yes, she does," Yukio replied, forcing a smile. "After all, she is nice and polite to you, while you see how she treats Tenma... Hey! Knock it off!" She slapped Ryo, who was beginning to form an idiotic grin on his face. Ryo looked sheepish. "Sorry. But even if you're right, what do I do!?" Yukio's smile became genuine, widening a little. "No problem, here's what you have to do..." Tenma woke up when he hit the ground. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he groggily looked around, wondering what exactly happened. And where was everyone else? He vaguely remembered being unable to sleep very well, rolling back and forth in a half-asleep mode to find a comfortable position. Eventually, he seemed to find the right spot, enabling him to fall into a deep and satisfying sleep. At least until he woke up. Had he managed to completely roll away from the others in his sleep? Shrugging, Tenma strained his ears, hearing the sounds of idle chatter from the east. Assuming it was his group, he trekked off to have a look. Ryo tossed Tenma a pear as the young Saotome re-entered the camp. Tenma bit into the fruit, savoring the sweet taste, while glancing around at his traveling companions. In return, Tenma tossed Ryo a helmet. "What's this fo-" Ryo started to say, then noticed the color and design of it. Black. As in belonging to the Dark Shogun's army. His face came up. "What-?" "Ran into a patrol camped out east of here," Tenma explained, as everyone else stopped their idle chatter and paid attention to him. "They won't have a chance to bother us now, but we should move out. That patrol means we're close to the siege lines." Akara finished off her rice, then stood, glancing toward the east. "I figured as much. I've been keeping track of the distance, and I've calculated that we should be arriving today." "You mean we're almost there?" Yukio asked, appearing somewhat hesitant. "You don't have to go, Yu-chan," Tenma told her. "War isn't pretty and this really ain't your fight." This only seemed to make Yukio more determined, as she withdrew the giant spatula from her back and held it firmly with both hands. "No way! Where you go, I go, Tenchan!" Tenma nodded, understanding. "Then let's get packed up. We've spent enough time here. And we should leave the cart behind. We can carry enough food in our packs for the day, and the cart will only slow us down." The group nodded their consensus, then loading their individual packs with provisions from the cart. Akara glanced over to see Konisha packing less slowly than the rest, her gaze fixed on the eastern skyline where the sun was just beginning to come up, bathing the horizon in luminescence. Akara bit her lip, then tentatively laid a hand on the other girl's shoulder. Konisha didn't turn, or show any reaction to the touch. "I'm sure your family is okay, as is the rest of the people in your castle," Akara said softly. "I.... I don't think I ever really thanked you personally for your help. I do appreciate it." Konisha was silent for a few minutes more, then returned to her packing, shrugging Akara's hand off. "I do not care much for my father, my brother, nor the people under my father's rule. To them, I am merely Kuno Konisha." Akara was struck by the ice in the other woman's voice. "Konisha-san..." "But I do worry for my mother," the Kuno girl continued, a little softer. She turned and gave Akara a tentative smile. "And I have grown rather fond of Tenma as well!" The Tendo girl frowned. "Konisha..." "Oh ho ho! Akara-chan, you really must learn to relax." Konisha closed up her pack, and slipped it over her shoulders. "And you really should make up your mind about what you want, or it could easily be taken from you." The Kuno grew a sly grin. "Perhaps by me." Akara blinked in surprise, then smiled grimly. "You can try." Konisha laughed again, then began to walk away. However, she turned her head to offer one final comment over her shoulder before she was out of earshot: "Thank you." Akara shook her head. She holstered her own pack, joining the group as they continued their journey once more. It was still standing. That singular thought lifted the spirits of the small group that stood atop the forested hill, restoring hope to a solid ground. The Kuno castle still stood. The great ebony pool that was the Dark Shogun's army still surrounded it, broken only by the flickering of campfires. The outer wall of the castle was blackened and charred and several of the heavy stone pieces were missing, but it appeared as if the defenders had managed to hold their ground. The landscape was barren, as much of the forest greenery had been stripped away, most likely used to create the large siege weapons. Like the one launching a rather large fireball several hundred meters towards the castle wall. "What in the world is that!?" Yukio sputtered, never having seen anything like it before. Her sentiment was shared by most of the group, except one. Xian Po furrowed her brow. "It called a catapult. Nasty weapon. But ones I have seen only launched large rocks." "Well, apparently the Dark Shogun has an upgraded version," Ryo declared, a bit of sarcasm in his voice. Tenma shook his head. "Enough. We should concentrate on getting inside." "And just how do you expect to do that, genius?" Ryo asked. He gestured toward the army with his hand. "They weren't here when we left, if you remember." "I don't see you coming up with any ideas, pig-boy," Tenma quipped, then smirked. "Course, you'd need an intelligence level greater than a pig for that." Ryo began to snarl. "I'll have you know pigs are highly intelligent animals!" Tenma couldn't help himself. "That why they consistently beat you at go?" "Teeeenmaaaa!" Ryo half-growled, half-yelled, as he lunged at his rival. "Enough!" Akara's harsh voice commanded, stopping both rivals in their track. "We don't have time for this now." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Boys. Honestly." "Agree with Akara," Xian Po added. "Stupid boys need learn to focus on task at hand." "But we still don't know how to get inside," Mu Shu pointed out. Konisha shook her head. "Commoners," she said in a quiet voice tinted with disdain, then sighed. "I guess I have no choice." She then turned and started walking away from the group, stopping after a bit to glance back over her shoulder. "Well, coming?" Yukio was the first to break out of her surprise. "You know a way in?" Akara blinked, understanding flooding her brain. "Of course! This is your home, so you would know it better than anyone, including a way in!" She jogged to catch up with the departing Kuno girl, calling out, "Come on!" to those behind her. The rest of the group shared a quick glance, then took off after the two girls. Nearly thirty minutes later, Konisha was using a tonfa to brush aside several heavy vines covering a rock face. "This is it?" Ryo questioned. "I don't see anything. It's just a rock wall." "Of course you would," Konisha scoffed. "I'll have to agree with Ryo on this one," Tenma spoke up. "Are you sure we're in the right place?" Akara shook her head. "If this is what I think it is, then it's supposed to be hidden." "I not understand," Xian Po stated, looking somewhat confused. "Neither do I," Mu Shu added. Akara turned to the group while Konisha probed at the wall with her tonfa. "The Tendos had a minor hold further south of here, before the Dark Shogun took it over. It had an escape tunnel built in, to allow the ruler and his family to escape if need be. It's how we got ourselves and a good number of our people out." A section of rock wall slid open, as if in response to Akara's explanation. "There now, shall we go?" Konisha addressed the group as she stood aside the entrance. "I shall go last to close it." One-by-one, the group filed in, until only Tenma and Konisha were left. As Tenma stepped in, he stopped, then turned and scanned the darkening surroundings. "Problem, Tenma-sama?" Konisha asked. "Dunno," Tenma replied. "Thought I felt something for a moment. Something familiar." Yukio popped her head out of the hole. "What are you two waiting for? You coming?" She glanced at the two suspiciously. Tenma turned back, albeit a bit hesitant. "Yeah, I'm coming." He slid past Yukio and entered the tunnel. Yukio looked at Konisha, who merely shrugged. The two disappeared into the dark tunnel, the rock face closing after them. Several minutes after the entrance closed, part of a tree's shadow disengaged from the rest and approached the rock wall. A feminine hand reached out and began testing the hard surface. "Daddy!" Akara gasped, practically flying to her father's side. "Are you alright?" Tenma was stopped in the doorway, by Yukio. She shook her head, indicating that he should leave them alone, then pulled him away. Tenma allowed himself to dragged away, reluctantly. Senshin Tendo, who was swathed in numerous bandages and lying on a mat, opened his eyes. "Akara? Is that my baby girl's voice I hear?" His uninjured hand lifted itself from the mat. "Daddy, I'm not a baby!" Akara protested as she took his hand into hers, but her eyes were soft and concerned. "What happened to you?" "There was a big battle, but we held them off." Senshin responded, his eyes flashing with determination. "Many lives were lost, but we held firm. However, I am afraid I am not long for this world." "Daddy?" Akara gasped again, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "Don't listen to him, he's going to fine," a new voice explained. Akara looked up, surprised. "Nayrumi? Thank goodness you're okay." Nayrumi knelt on the other side of their father. "He's a little banged up, but he'll recover." A wry smile appeared on her face. "You wouldn't know it listening to him, though." "Nayrumi, why are you still here?" Senshin scolded his middle daughter. "I thought I told you to leave with Kamiko and the others." Nayrumi scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh please, you need me here, admit it. You've got an army here, and while they know how to fight, scarcely any are capable of thinking anywhere near a tactical level." Senshin sniffled. "My two precious daughters, doomed to die here with me. I'm sorry, it's all my fault. I got you involved in a war we can't win, all for the sake of my personal vengeance. But I failed; it's just a matter of time before we are overwhelmed." Akara's eyes flashed. "No! We're not beat yet! I did it, I got in touch with some warriors who come from across the sea. They're called the Joketsuzoku, and they've agreed to help us. Their leader, Xian Po, is meeting with the Kuno Daimyo now. We can win this yet!" "We got into this of our own free will, father," Nayrumi added, then her voice turned cold. "I want to make the this false shogun's army pay just as much for what happened to mother." Akara fell silent. It was painful subject, and something she tried not to think about. Apparently, Nayrumi thought about it quite a bit more. Senshin shook his head. "No, Akara, I must tell you something now, while we still have time. I kept it to myself for a long time, but it's time you knew." "Daddy?" Akara questioned, her voice a bit unsteady. "What are you trying to say?" Senshin's eyes closed. "I am not your father." "Think they'll be okay?" Tenma asked, as the pair walked down the near empty hallway. "Positive," Yukio replied, nodding while taking his arm. "The doctor's told me Tendo Senshin will live." She smiled shyly. "Now, cheer up! We made it, didn't we? And we're together again. That's all that matters." She sighed, leaning her head against Tenma's arm. "It's been so long..." Tenma swallowed nervously, trying to gently pry his arm out of Yukio's grasp, but she held firm. Sighing, he stopped walking and glanced out a window. The lights of the small community surrounding the castle could be seen, as well the faint outline of the great wall that surround the village. On the outside, he knew, the Dark Shogun's army lie in wait. "Ten-chan, remember the old days in our village?" Yukio asked with a wistful sigh. "How happy we were, and how simple things were?" "Um, yeah, I guess," Tenma replied, half-heartily. Yukio licked her lips. "Well, it can be that way again..." "What do you mean?" Yukio pulled away slightly, enough to look Tenma in the eyes. "We've done our part and delivered Akara and Xian Po safely here. What do you say we leave now, just the two of us?" Tenma felt a bit uncomfortable at the sight of Yukio's shimmering eyes. "Yu-chan, I can't." "Oh, come on!" Yukio pressed. "Two people aren't going to make much difference in the coming battle. We've done our part. If they win, we can return, but if they lose, we could die here! If we leave, though, we can find a place where they can't reach us. Just the two of us!" Yukio's argument seemed to make too much sense to Tenma. Why should he stay? Ever since he had gotten involved with Senshin's movement, and with Akara, it had been nothing but one life-or-death battle after another. And that wasn't counting the fights he had with his Akara, his mercurial fiancee. What could he do now, as just one person? The memory of a kiss lingered on his lips, however, and Tenma shook his head. "I'm sorry, I can't, Yukio. I-" He paused, searching for a reason to tell her. "I made a promise to help them. I can't abandon that now, even if it means my life." Thankfully, that seemed to placate the young okonomiyaki chef. "Very well. You are an honorable man, Ten-chan." She went back to clinging to his arm. "That's one of the things I like about you." Tenma began to sweat, praying for some diversion to allow him to get out of this. "Tenma-sama," cooed Konisha, latching herself onto his other arm. Tenma fretted. "Hey, what are you doing!?" Yukio demanded to know. "Obviously, saving Tenma from a lowly commoner," Konisha replied evenly. "I'll have you know I'm a premier okonomiyaki chef!" Yukio declared with pride. "From a long line of royal okonomiyaki chefs!" "So, you are a mere servant girl, instead," Konisha riposted coolly. "Um, girls..." Tenma started. "Well, Tenma is a `commoner' as well!" Yukio countered. She gave a sharp pull on his arm. "And he's my fiance!" Konisha gave a sharp pull on the other arm. "But he deserves so much better than you." "That's for him to decide!" Yukio yelled, yanking her fiance back. Tenma bigsweated as he suddenly found himself the rope in a fierce tug-of-war. He could literally see the sparks flying back and forth between the two girls' intense gazes. "Um, ladies..." Fortunately, Konisha let go with a sigh. "As much as I'd love to continue this, my mother has sent me to fetch you. There is some things she wishes to reveal." Tenma took the opportunity to slide out of Yukio's grip. "Well, I suppose we better go see what she wants." Yukio half-growled, half-sighed, but reluctantly agreed. She continued to stare daggers at Konisha, however. "Akara-san?" Ryo couldn't believe his luck. He had managed to find the object of his affection and she was alone. Now he could try to put Yukio's advice to work. "Just talk to her," she had told him. "And listen to her. Offer her your shoulder. If you can show her your someone she can depend on, it's guaranteed that she'll fall for you. You have to tell her you love her, though." Ryo hoped he could do that last part. He didn't have much interaction with women until recently. Akara didn't look up from where she was sitting against the balcony wall. Her knees were pulled up against her chest, and her head was buried in her arms. "Are you okay?" he asked, venturing a little closer. When she didn't seem to object, he sat down beside her. At this, Akara's head finally came up, as she rested her chin on her arms. Instead of looking at him, though, she just stared out over the darkening horizon, where the sun had all but disappeared. Only a tiny sliver remained. "I just found I'm an orphan," she stated in a near-monotone voice. Ryo blinked in confusion. "I don't understand. Your father is going to survive, isn't he?" Akara barked a short laugh. "Tendo Senshin will survive, but he's not my father. According to him, he and his wife found my real mother washed up on Japan's western shore. She was holding me in her arms and near death. She begged Senshin and my mother to take care of me, and keep me from harm. She supposedly died shortly thereafter." Ryo's mouth opened, but no sound came out. This was not what he was expecting, and he had no idea what to do about it or what to say. Akara turned and smiled at him. "So I just found out my life is a lie. Everything I knew is a lie. I have no idea who my real family was." "Is there anything I can do?" Ryo told her, struggling to say something. The only thing he could think of, was to do something for her. He could slay dragons if she wanted him to, but he had no idea of what to say to her. Akara's smile widened a bit. "Thank you, Ryo-kun. That's thoughtful of you to offer, but I'll be fine, really." Ryo felt his heart speed up at her beautiful smile, and he couldn't help but mimic her infectious grin. Then she said the words. "You're a good friend. I can see why Tenma is friends with you." A crack appeared on Ryo's glass heart, but Akara continued on oblivious. "And thanks for coming to find me, it means a lot." She stood up and dusted herself off. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some more thinking to do, and I probably should go and see Tenma as well." Ryo couldn't help but nod, as she squeezed his shoulder and left. For the life of him, he couldn't understand why such sweet girl would go for a guy like Tenma. He was a jerk, and seemed to be playing with the hearts of several women now. Ryo smacked his fist. He decided he'd just have to confront Tenma, and make him choose. And if he refused and continued to play the role of womanizer, Ryo figured he'd just have to beat some sense in his rival until Tenma relented. Ryo smiled grimly. Fighting was definitely something he was good at. "Aaahh!" Ryo's head snapped up at Akara's startled scream, and he dashed into the room just in time to catch Akara, who was falling backward. "What happened?" he asked worriedly. "I don't know," Akara replied, after getting her breath back. "Someone hit me as they ran past. The sounds of shouting could be heard from several different levels, and Ryo's and Akara's widened at the one word they could make out: "Intruder!" Just then, several figures came running through the hall, from the same direction as Akara's mysterious attacker. Tenma, flanked by Konisha and Yukio, spotted Akara in the doorway, still partially supported by Ryo. Tenma and Akara's eyes met, and for an instant, Ryo thought Tenma frowned at him and Akara, but then it passed. "Did you see someone run through here?" Tenma asked. "Someone hit me," Akara stated, regaining her footing. "What's going on?" "Someone attacked my father," Konisha declared in an icy voice. "And now they seek to escape. But he will not get far; there are hundreds of guards surrounding the castle." Tenma shook his head. "I don't think his plan is to escape that way. After all, how did he get in, in the first place? He'll use that route to escape. It's what I'd do." Akara's eyes widened. "The secret passage! They must have followed us!" As one, the group of five took off towards the hidden escape tunnel, which was located a couple of floors down. They picked up Xian Po and Mu Shu as they ran, noting that both seemed incredibly angry. "What happened to you?" Yukio inquired as they ran. "Yeah, weren't you guys with the head Kuno guy?" Ryo added. "Surprise attack," Xian Po growled. "Stabbed Kuno man, then attacked us." "He struck Xian Po," Mu Shu snarled. "For that alone, he must die." The Amazon leader shot Mu Shu a dirt look, but didn't bother yelling at him. "Tried to give kiss of death, but coward ran." Ryo blinked in confusion. "Kiss of death?" "Did you get a good look at him?" Tenma asked. Xian Po shook her head. "Dressed all in black. Face hidden. What coward do this? Why does he no fight like a true warrior?" Tenma grit his teeth. "Kage. Ninja don't usually prefer stand- up fights." Again, Xian Po shook her head. "No. Not Kage. Remember him, and this one a bit too tall." "Another ninja from the Garou clan?" Akara wondered aloud. "Are they all against us?" They burst into the room containing the secret escape, surprised to see the black-clad figure still there. "No," Tenma seethed. "This is not another ninja. It's Kae." Ryo's eyes widened at that. "What!? The chick who set us up?" The figure lazily unwrapped the scarf covering her face. "He's right; it's me. You're really too easy to follow Tenma-san. It was pathetic, really. For someone trained by the great Satsu, I expected more." "You're not very good, yourself," Mu Shu spat. "You failed. The Kuno Daimyo still lives." Kae laughed. "For a moment. My blade was covered in a unique and fatal poison, you see. I had planned to kill Tendo Senshin as well, but from his condition, I gather he won't be of much use in the few hours you have left. Your leader will die, and with it, any hope you have." "Why?" Tenma spat. Kae's eyebrow raised. "Why? You mean, why did I betray you? It's quite simple. I made a deal with the Dark Shogun. I do something for him, and he gets me something I want. It's nothing personal against you." "Is the whole Garou clan in on this?" Akara demanded to know. "No, of that you have my word," Kae offered, then smiled. "For what it's worth to you. Oh sure, Kage is helping me out of some pathetic devotion, but the rest of the clan is in the dark. It was necessary, I'm afraid." "Enough!" Konisha commanded. "You will surrender to me, now. I just might spare your life, if hand over the anti-toxin." "I am not one of your subjects to order around, princess," Kae spat. "I just wanted Tenma and Akara to know who it was who had beaten you, and to deliver a final warning: Surrender to the Dark Shogun. You cannot beat them. Of course, I don't care what you do, as long as I get what I want. I'm merely offering a suggestion." She made a show of yawning. "And now, if you'll pardon me, it's getting late. I really must be going." "Lady, you ain't goin' anywhere!" Ryo stated. Kae genuinely looked surprised. "What? You'll stop me? What a joke! You're an even worse martial artist that Tenma." Ryo didn't hear much besides a dull grinding noise, as he sprung foreword. He caught sight of Konisha, Xian Po, and Mu Shu doing the same in his peripheral vision, and of Tenma yelling some sort of warning. But he ignored it. Before he reached his target, however, she threw something down between them, and the ground exploded. Ryo was propelled backwards by the shock wave, and as he hit the ground, he realized the room was collapsing. He knew- Miyo suddenly found herself falling backwards, a bunch of books coming down on her. The shock of being so abruptly pulled from her dream state, left her powerless to protect herself as she was buried. It didn't last long, however, as a pair of hands dug her out, picked her up, and set her down on a nearby couch. "Are you okay?" Toshi was asking. Miyo had to concentrate, to get her voice back to working order. "I-I think so. What happened?" Toshi looked down in shame. "I'm sorry, it's my fault. I was getting a book off the top shelf, when I lost my balance and grabbed the bookshelf. The whole thing came away from the wall." He gestured to where the table was. A pile of books surrounded and covered it, as the book case leaned on top of it. Miyo paled. "Oh no, the crystal ball!" She pooled what strength she had to stand and run over to the pile, digging through the books. Toshi joined her, using his own strength to pull the book shelves off the pile. As soon as he managed to push it off to the side, he heard Miyo gasp. "Oh no..." "What?" Toshi asked, turning back. His eyes then fell upon the scene that had produced Miyo's despair. The crystal ball had shattered into nearly a dozen pieces. Miyo's haunted eyes met his. "The final, and most crucial, piece of the puzzle is lost."