The portal closed behind Slash, as she stepped into the cold, dark room beyond it. Not much had changed in the months that she had spent at Twilight High, as she suspected. Inside, her feelings were fighting each other, trying to gain control and to force Slash into action. All she could feel though, when she turned around, was a sinking feeling that coming back to where her new life had begun, was a very, very bad idea.

Dark pieces of the shatter Sphere were dust free. Everything else was covered in a thin layer of dust, as if time didn't exist to the Sphere shards. Indeed, Slash knew that the Spheres were beyond all time, created by a race that died to make sure the new inhabitants of her planet would live.

Anger swelled up inside her, before washing away like many times before. Had Slash been whole, the anger would've stayed, and much damage would've been caused by her. Now, after centuries have passed, Slash was almost no better then the shattered Sphere she was looking at.

Home.....a word that strikes fear into Slash....

********************************************************

The moment the Portal closed, Slash knew she had done something wrong. Coming back to the place she knew little about, back to a world that haunted her dreams, and killed what little peace she had in her new life at Twilight High.

Still, she was not going to run away. Of course, the Portal was not going to open for a few days, so she really had no where to run to. With a shake of her head, muttering something about being thick headed, she slipped the bag off her back, and sunk to the ground beside it.

.oO(Got to get out of these clothes...at least I won't stand out in my own clothes.) she thought, as she pulled out the clothing she was wearing when she was first taken to TH. Slipping out of her school uniform, she pulled on the white and red outfit, wondering why it felt so much better being in it, then the uniform. Of course, the feeling came with the sickening sensation that much of her past had to do with the outfit she now wore.

Shaking her head, she stood up, giving her body a good shake to settle the clothes about her, before checking to see what else she had brought. Arm sleeves, wrappings...she quickly slipped the arm sleeves on, and bound up her lower arms, flexing to make sure she didn't wrap them too tightly.

.oO(So familiar.....) she looked at a hand, before shaking her head, smiling. Time was passing by, and she could not return back to TH without something to calm the good doctor Bowman Jean.

Stuffing the duffle with her school uniform, Slash slung the bag across her back once more, and picked up her wrapped staff. It was time to step out into the world she once terrorized, and see what has become of it.

****************************************

Green...for miles around nothing but lush landscape, covered with giant towering trees with roots that dug into the ground like hungry fingers. Here and there Slash could see what remained of civilization, but the world around her looked nothing like she remembered.

Indeed, memories seeped into her conscious mind slowly, and the landscape before her was nothing as she remembered. As she climbed over a giant root that nearly blocked the exit of the building, Slash paused. Was this really a good idea? She could just stay put in the building, wait out the three days, and return and let Bowman Jean take her to Cen`til. He did say he wasn't trying to get her expelled or anything....

No.

Slash shook her head gathering her wandering will about her, and pressed forward. She would not run away this time, if she could help it. She promised to return, and she would, and she told Ekkusu that she would be okay. Promises were dear to Slash, and she would make sure she kept them, no matter what.

Night time had fallen when Slash finally gave up for the day. She had not come across much, except beautiful plants, and some exotic animals. The one village she stumbled upon had looked to be abandoned for ages, the walls of buildings still showing marks of fire that seemed to be the likely reason for no one living there. Undaunted, Slash set up camp a few miles away from the burned village, making a small fire in the shadows of one of the HUGE trees that towered over the landscape.

.oO(This place is weird.....though the burned village seemed familiar....I.....I should really rest and start a good search of this area tomorrow.) she yawned hugely, her body agreeing with her thoughts. Snuffing the fire, she stretched out and promptly fell asleep.

***************************************************

*"Ah...so my Dear Slash has returned." The voice seemed so familiar, as it cut through the haze in her mind.*

*"I am not surprised...as you will always return to the place you know as Home."*

Slash snapped wide again, fingers grasping at the staff that should've been right beside her. Instead, all her fingers grasped was air. Something was not right. Her attempt at sitting up failed as well, and she wondered why it was so dark out. When she fell asleep, the two moons were giving off a soft light on the landscape, even though the sky was pitch black marred only by the shimmer of stars.

Still, something was not adding up. Her legs refused to move it seemed, and her wrists felt like they were glued together. When she tried to speak, all she could taste was dirty cloth in her mouth. She settled down to think, wondering what had happened, or if it was just a dream...

"Oi...I think eets awake." A rough voice shook up her thoughts, causing her to try and turn her head in the direction the voice came from. Her head wouldn't move either, stuck against the rough wooden boards that vibrated now and then beneath her.

"Hrm...Dun know eef that is good, but I am sure eet ain't a getting away thees time." Another voice broke through her thoughts, before the sound of a whip and something neighing clued her in on what was going on.

Sometime during the night, somehow, someone had managed to bound and gag her and put her in a wagon, and were now taking her somewhere.

Peachy.

Slash began her struggles to try and get free, but it was no use. For some reason, which Slash could not fathom at that point, they had bound her not only at wrists and ankles, but also around her arms, knees, and gagged her, along with putting something over her head to prevent her from seeing, and tied her down to the wagon.

Was she really that dangerous?

She didn't want to find out, nor cared, because right then she felt something creeping up her leg.

"Oi...look at eet struggle.....we dun do right to tie eet down......" the rough voice spoke up again, and Slash made a guess it belonged to the one who was touching her leg.

"Hrm....as long as eet stays alive...we git the reward for capturing it. Along weet that, we will be sung as Heroes from now on. Eet is a good deal." The second person started to chuckle.

"Oi....ye right....eet is a good deal." The first person started to laugh as well, before thumping something hard against Slashs head.

After that, she knew nothing but the sweet safety of oblivion.

****************************************

Waking up to see hundreds of faces looking at her was not her idea of a good morning.

"Oi! Eets awake!" a familiar voice broke through the confused haze that Slash was stuck in. Giving her head a shake (and surprised that she could actually move it), she cleared away the haze, blinking out into the crowd.

It looked like she was in a cage of sorts, one side against a wall, the other three open to the wonderment and staring gazes of the townsfolk that lived in the town she was apparently taken to. The cage looked to be made of some kind of wooden reeds, and Slash mentally smiled. The two that had captured her seemed to be so cautious before, were now placing her in something that she could fairly easily break out of. With that thought in mind, she went to stand up, only to fall flat on her face.

Whipping her head around, ignoring the gasps and scared words being spoken around her from her moving, she eyed whatever was keeping her from standing up. Ropes bound around each ankle tied to the bottom back bar of the cage. She shook her head, and went to reach to undo them, only to find her hands were similarly tied and bound to the front bottom bar of the cage. Each binding only left enough rope for her to get to her hands and knees, and that was it.

.oO(Underestimated them..and now I am looking even worse in the eyes of these people....damn..) She shook her head again, before lifting her gaze up to meet the eyes of those surrounding her prison.

Shock. Fear. Curiosity. Amazement. Anger.

She opened her mouth to say something, but as soon as she did someone screamed out something about a giant fireball of death and the crowd panicked. Something rammed into her sides, and she dropped like a rock, as the crowded screamed around her. Soon, all was quiet.

"Oi...maybe we shudda kept the gag on.."

"Hrm...I dun think eet was going to do anything."

"IDIOTS! Do you know what you might have caused here?!" the new voice had an edge of red hot anger.

"You should have done a lot of things, but you didn't. At least the beast didn't blow everything up like it did last time." That caused Slash to stir.

"Oi....eets still moving!"

"Hrm...we better take eet out."

"No?" she managed to say, before her sides were slammed into again, causing the air to flee her lungs.

"That is odd...." the new man peered down into the cage. "Shouldn't be able to talk. LEAVE US!" he ordered to the other two, who reluctantly moved off into the shadows.

Slash barely got to hands and knees, when the blade of a sword appeared in front of her.

"Do not try to breathe out fire or anything, and I will let you live. Do you understand?" the man asked Slash, who nodded faintly.

"Good." The blade vanished from her sight, and she managed to drag her gaze upwards, meeting that of the new man.

The man was barely a man at all. Just reaching adult hood, the boy had a full head of dirty blond hair, and dark brown eyes. A long scar ran down from his lower lip to the base of his neck. He did not look happy.

"Speak, demon." He said, in a voice that was used to ordering people around. Slash did not like him at all.

"Not demon." She said quietly, trying to smile but finding she just couldn't. Not to him. Something about him was setting her on edge.

"Then what are you? Demons do not talk our language, true....but you have a different way of speaking the words...." it was true, now that he had mentioned it. The way she was speaking the language was slightly different then he was. She would have to correct that if she could.

"A Hunter." She said carefully, mind trying to figure out what was going on. It refused to think beyond dealing with the man before her.

"A Hunter? We have hunters...hence how you were captured. What kind of 'hunting' does one that claims not to be a demon do?" the man remained standing, causing Slash to look up at him. Everything about him screamed superiority at her.

"I hunt what needs to be hunted. Animal, beasties, loose canons..." she fought to keep her eyes looking up, though her body just wanted to lie down and hide away from his burning gaze.

"Ah.....we will see what you are...." he said, before grinning in a rather chilling way. With that, he called to the two that had captured her, and moved off.  The square remained empty, and Slash soon found out why.

The two moons were displaced during the day by not just one giant burning ball of fire they call a sun, but also another one. The second one was much smaller, but when the two came out in full force, the heat was almost unbearable.

.oO(I came...just to roast.......Bowman Jean will not like it when I do not return...and Ekkusu....and Rock Lee...) she had flattened herself against the bottom of the cage, trying to keep cool. The cage had no top, and the shadow given off by the bars did little to ease the burning heat of the suns.

Worse thing was, it wasn't even mid-day.

Slash eyed the area around her, and then the bindings. She couldn't reach the leg ones with her hands, and her hand ones were just an inch or two short from being reached by the opposite hand. But there was one thing they didn't count on. Stretching fully forward as far she could, Slash rolled onto her side a bit, and began chewing on the bindings around one hand. She figured that if the heat was bad now, it would be worse by mid-day, at which time she would hopefully have one hand free, if not both.

Time ticked by, but the smaller of the two suns was not going to cooperate with Slashs plans.

When mid-day came about, one sun was at its peak in the sky, while the smaller one was no where in sight. Slash first realized this when the heat began to drop, and the sound of people voices reached her ears.

This was not good.

"Oi...eet is still alive....guess you were right."

"Hrm..course I was. Eet is stronger then eet looks. They always are..."

Something prodded her side, and Slash decided she had had enough of it all. With a jerk, she snapped what little rope fibers remained unchewed on the one hand, and gasps rang out. Her head snapped up, to see several people had returned to the area she was caged in.

.oO(Not good...not good at all...) she thought, before her great luck struck her again, this time in the form of a fiery ball of doom.

The wave of heat given off by the fire washed over her like the welcoming arms of the Demon gods themselves. So hot, that Slash cried out, before collapsing to the bottom of the cage, covering her face with her free arm, protecting her eyes from the heat. Around her screams rang out and the word 'fire demon' touched her ears.

"Oi.....guess we didn't git the right one."

"Hrm...maybe, maybe not. But I says we don't stick around to find out." And she heard the two men run off, leaving her and the town to a flame filled fate.

.oO(Rock Lee...why couldn't I just let you protect me? Why?) She sniffled, before the screams of a child snapped her out of her misery.

"Mama!! MAAMAA!" the child wailed, memories smashing free of their cage and bombarding Slash. With a surge of energy, she snapped her other hand free of its bindings, flipping around to work on her feet. Thanks to the intense heat around them, the ropes were weakened, and broke without too much of a fuss.

The child was gone by the time Slash turned to hunt it down, but thoughts of saving another were lost when something slammed into her backside, sending her flying. Landing and rolling, the only thing keeping her from breaking anything was instinct telling her to tuck in to a ball and go with the flow of things. When she did unroll, the cage she was in was smash to splinters, a giant foot in its place.

"If you really are a hunter, then kill the thing." A familiar voice said, a body dropping down beside her. She looked up, in time to catch the wrapped staff she had with her before.

"Do it, and perhaps I will let you free." The man snarled out, hatred filling his eyes. Slash rose, gripping her wrapped staff.

"You have no hold on me..." she started to say, before she found herself running towards the beast that was currently tearing into a building by the destroyed cage.

Memory of what happened after that was a blur, when Slash found herself waking up to the smell of fresh air and fresh water being poured over her body.

*************************************************

The smoke of burning buildings hid the sun from view, as Slash strode towards the beast that was currently wreaking havoc on the town.

"HEY!" she shouted, scooping up a rock, hurling it at the beast. The beast turned, eyes flashing red.

With a grin, Slash ran forward, bounding off a crate and into the air. The fire shot towards her, directed by the beast, to consume her...

Weeks of practice had paid off. Spinning the staff so that it was just a blur, the fire was repelled around her, instead of through her. The staff was not too lucky, being that it was wrapped in burnable materials. As the charred bits flew off the staff, Slash landed on the ground, one foot sliding backwards.

.oO(Fight it Slash.....Fight the ones who dare control...) the thought was lost as she dodged another blast of fire, ending up near one of the buildings. Quick like a bunny, she leapt onto a window sill, then another, before landing on the rooftop of the building. At least now she had some height.

Below, the man was watching her, the hate and anger in his eyes burning just as bright as the flames that were burning the town.

The beast turned around, roaring loudly. Slash didn't care. Nothing mattered, not even the destruction of the town. People could die, and she didn't care. All that matter was the fight against the beast. Adjusting her grip on the staff, she raced across the rooftop, leaping to the next building..then the next, trying to get behind the beast.

The beast wasn't completely stupid. It spun around, a massive clawed hand descending to smash Slash to smithereens. Dust and bits of building went flying everywhere, but the beast failed to feel the squish that a fleshy body would make when being flattened.

Up the arm Slash ran, staff held along one arm, a bladed end stick over a shoulder, arm stretched out behind her. Those eyes, those mismatched eyes, looked so dead and hollow right then...

The beast jerked its arm back, sending Slash flying off it, unbalanced. Her cry of surprise cut through the blankness in her mind, snapping her back to reality...

.oO(The hell.....) she thought, as something slammed into her, sending her flying into the air. Opening her eyes, she could see the beast below her laughing, opening its maw wide...giant pointy teeth waiting to crush her fragile body.

Closing her eyes tight, she tried to forget everything around her, to forget that she was about to die...when the image of Rock Lee entered her mind. That smile, that determination....the day he tried to protect her and got seriously hurt..

"NO!" her eyes snapped open, her staff spinning around, coming to rest before her, as her body twisted in the air.

.oO(Rock Lee would not give up....and I promised myself that I would become strong so he would not have to protect me.) she grinned, as the beast below her blinked in surprise.

With a growl, she launched her staff downwards, almost smiling with joy as it struck the beast in an eye, slicing deep into it. Thrashing, the beast clawed at its face, screaming out in pain.

The blank haze returned over her mind, stealing away memories and feelings, leaving behind only instinct..the instincts to kill or be killed.

Landing, she scrabbled to get a hold of the beasts snout, dragging herself up. It was hard work, as the beast continued to thrash, smashing buildings and sending out balls of fire. Bit by bit Slash made her way towards the creatures eyes, to her staff that still stuck out of the one. As her hand reached it, the beast went still, catching her off guard.

And then the beast split in two, crashing to the ground in a bloody heap, Slash clinging to her staff with all her life.

And then, silence.

*****************************************************

"So, you are awake...." a womans face came into view, peering down at Slash. Slash blinked, looking up.

"Ah, yes. Good thing too. The Hal`shama was worried you might not make it." Slash opened her mouth to ask a question, but the woman put a finger on her lips, stopping her words in her throat.

"The beast is dead. The Hal`shama killed it, saving everyone, and you, from the fiery death it was dealing out. We found you in the remains, and the Hal`shama said to do our best to make sure you survived. Aside from burns and many bruises, we could find nothing else wrong. Do you feel okay?" the woman smiled softly.

Slash nodded, and tried to move, but her body refused to work. Looking down, Slash feared she had been tied down again, but all she saw was her naked form in a giant bathtub, which was filled with crystal clear cool water. Indeed, her body looked like someone had taken a pole to it and beat it for a good while.

"Drink this, and your body will heal faster." The woman pressed a cup into Slashs hands, who drank it with shaking hands. Nothing made sense. One moment she had been in a cage, the next ordered to fight the beast, the next lounging in a wonderfully cool bath being slightly fussed over by a very kind woman.

Not as good at Bowman Jeans potion, but worked none the less. Her body started to feel better, at least giving her strength back. The bruises faded, but not much.

"How long?" Slash managed to ask, coughing once. The woman smiled, before handing her a glass of water, which Slash drank slowly.

"About an hour or so ago. We are used to attacks, so we have become quite proficient in cleaning up after them. The beast will feed us through the winter as well it is expected. Our faith in the Hal`shama is stronger then ever." The woman smiled, before pouring some more cool water into the bathtub, water spilling over the edges.

"The Hal`shama wanted to see you as soon as you were awake, but I will not let you leave here until you can walk. Take your time. There are towels over there to dry yourself with, and your clothing is almost dry." The woman brushed back the hair from Slashs face, and smiled softly again. With that, she left the room, leaving Slash alone.

.oO(Hal`shama? Wonder who he is....and he defeated the beast? That...that just doesn't seem right..) Slash shook her head, and decided to take advantage of the bath while she could.

******************************************

Feeling refreshed, and in clean clothes, Slash was lead down a long hallway, into a very open throne room. It looked almost like it used to be a garden, but then giant archways and a roof were building in the middle of it. The arches were left open, and a cool breeze blew through the building. Many people dressed in fancy clothes surrounded the throne on either side, chattering about this and that. The man upon the throne was not dressed as fine, but still had an air of superiority and prosperity about him.

He was also the man that Slash had encountered before.

"Welcome to my court." He said in a cool toned voice, not even bothering to rise. A pole knocked against the back of her knees, sending her to the ground. She tried to get up, but found something pressing against her back, keeping her to just her hands and knees.

"Good to see you survived.....I was surprised to say the least." He drawled on, fingers clasping and unclasping from around the hilt of a sword that rested across his lap.

"Everyone, take a walk." He said, and those around the throne left the garden building area rather quickly.

Too quickly.

With a nod, the two guards that were with Slash turned and left as well, the pressure on her back alleviating.

"I have heard stories...." the man rose, the point of the sword clinking into the ground.

"Many stories....but none as real as this..." he moved forward, the sword tip dragging along the stone floor.

"Tell me...." he stopped, just out of reach of her hands, which were clenched into fists. She refused to look up.

The next moment all sounds died in the garden, as the sword came to rest beneath her chin, shoving her head upwards. The burning hatred in her eyes made Slash want to turn and flee, but the sword tip digging into her throat told her to remain still.

"Tell me who you are." His eyes bore into hers, into her mind....

~*Tell me, tell me who you are or I will kill you..*~ the voice was hollow, but it still sounded like the mans voice. Slash blinked, before she could feel her own hatred rising.

"I will tell you nothing." She said, bringing her hands up, grasping the sword. Surprise crossed the mans face. "If you dare to kill me...then do so....." she slowly rose to her feet, bringing the sword up with her. She could begin to feel the sword cutting into her hands.

"If you do not wish me dead, and wish answers, then treat me like you would treat yourself...." she let go of the sword, arms falling to her sides.

Time ticked by, before the man smiled, and lowered the sword.

"Some stories seem to be false then....." he made a sweeping bow, before turning, moving back towards the throne.

Curious, Slash started to follow.

"And I thank you for help with the beast....though I am not sorry that I am the only one who knows how it really perished." He plunked himself down on the throne, words like ice to Slash.

She shrugged, and smiled brightly.

"I have no need for fame or songs to be sung about me in this world. I came here looking for answers....tell me, what year is it." She stopped several feet from the throne, keeping a good distance between her and the man who seemed to hate her so much.

He answered, and she blinked. He said it again, a smile touching his lips.

"If you are seeking answers, I suggest you look into the ruins that are just past the Great Forest, or even in the Shu`lan desert. All I care is that you get out of my sight, and never return." He reached behind the throne, and hurled an object at her.

Catching it, she stared dumbly at it. What he had said made no sense. The places he named were familiar, but only as faded memories.

~*I will be hunting you down from now on....remember that...*~ Slash eyed the man, before spinning around, and running from the room.

**********************************************

The day moved into night, the two moons beginning their ascent into the sky. Slashs hopes were failing fast.

Managing to grab some food before fleeing the town, Slash had made poor time as her body wore down. Her first day was not going well, and she was no closer to finding out about her self then when she first started out.

.oO(I am going to let Bowman Jean down....and then....no...no...no!!!!) she shook her head, knuckles going white and she clutched her staff tightly. Already she could feel a familiar fear creep itself around her body, prying at the recesses of her mind. She ran as much as she could, before her body forced her to stop, collapsing to the ground in a heap. Tears ran freely down her face, as she cried silently into the soft warm earth beneath her.

Ever since leaving this world, she had lived in such happiness. She had friends, and people liked her. A few really liked her, especially Ekkusu and Rock Lee...but something always kept her from reaching back to them as they reached out to her.

"That's because they tore you apart."

Slash blinked, thinking she heard someone speaking to her, but when she looked up, there was no one there.

.oO(I'm tired.....I..I must be hearing things....Lord and Lady....why did I come here?) she sniffled, sitting up, looking at the sky.

"Rock Lee....why did I ever have to make that stupid promise? Why couldn't I just let you protect me?! You promised you would protect me, but you can't now....." she spoke out loud, her words echoing into the forest.

"Ekkusu....I wouldn't let you kiss me...and maybe I should have. Maybe it would break whatever is keeping me from remembering my past....keeping me from remembering anything! WHY?!" she shouted out, tears spilling down her face again.

"WHY DID THEY DO THIS TO ME!"

"Why not?" came the echoed reply from the woods, sending Slash to her feet, staff at the ready.

Time ticked by, but only the sounds of the night life reached her ears. She was alone, no one else nearby.

.oO(I need to sleep...tomorrow I will continue on.) she moved over to one of the giant trees, tying her staff with one of the many large vines dangling from the tree. Without another thought, she gripped the vine, and started for the branches it hung from.

**************************************************

The sound of branches breaking, and loud bird like calls, snapped Slash out of her sleep. Blinking, her eyes adjusting to the night time, she could do nothing more as something wrapped itself around her body, and lifted her into the air. She couldn't even struggle as whatever was around her tightened, squeezing the life out of her. Only when blackness took her mind, did the squeezing relent, letting Slash live for at least another day.

**************************************************

When she hit the warm sands of the desert, Slash was not in a good mood. Her body felt even worse off then it did when dealing with the fire breathing beast, and nothing was making sense anymore. Rolling onto her back, she looked up at the night sky, wishing the moons would wink out of existence, along with all the stars, so that the sky would be as black and depthless as the feeling she had in her head.

"But why would you want that, oh mighty one?" an old creaky voice asked her. Unable to even move her head, she could do nothing but stare at the sky.

"Do you really think your wishes will come true?" Slash knew in her mind that her wishes would never come true.

"Do you really want to know who and what you are?" this question stirred what little resources left in Slash to get her to turn her head. Sitting beside her...

Was her.

.oO(Gods....a dream.....) she thought, before the other Slash smiled.

"You only wish this was a dream." The other Slash stepped over her, and grabbed her shoulders, hauling her to her feet.

"It's time you learned who you were....its time to see the real beast that lives inside us both." The other Slash smiled wickedly, before slamming a fist into her face.

Falling over, Slash could barely touch her face, feeling blood seeping from her nose.

"Oh come on now!" this time the voice changed, it sounded like...

.oO(Rock Lee?) she blinked, as her vision settled. Indeed, Rock Lee stood there, in a ready to fight position.

"No...." she hauled herself to her feet, feeling so drained and tired.

"I cannot let you continue on like this Slash." He said, rushing at her. He was a blur to her, and could do nothing to the barrage of punches.

"Fight back Slash! You always want to fight, yet when you are attacked you do nothing!" he shouted at her, kicking her to the ground. Slash could only curl up, tears streaking her face.

"Slash......do you think you can fight me?" Slash refused to open her eyes, as Ekkusu gently touched her face. The gently touch turned into a hard punch, causing a familiar blackness to start creeping across her vision.

"Geeze Slash......" that last voice....so...so familiar....

The darkness closed its gentle hands around her once more.

*******************************************

The smell of roasting meat, the sounds of children playing, the touch of cool water against her lips...Slash slowly came around to a world she wished she could stay in forever.

"Ah, the sleeping one wakes." A gentle voice said, as hands resumed their massage on her legs.

"Slash, I presume?" she blinked, trying to get up, but gentle hands kept her from rising.

"Do not try to get up, you've had a rough journey. No doubt you remember little of it. Rest, and let us do our job, so you can do yours." The hands seemed to be rubbing away the aches and pains in her body, and she drifted back to sleep.

******************************************

When Slash woke again, the first of the two suns were just peeking over the horizon. A horizon devoid of any obstacles. No giant trees, or ruined villages, just dune after sand dune.

"Where..." she asked, sensing many presences nearby. Hands helped her sit up, and a cup of water was pressed to her lips. Slowly, she drank the cool liquid, making sure to thank those that gave it to her.

"You are in the Desert of Dreams." The one who had the gentle voice moved to sit down in front of her, legs folding gracefully beneath them.

"Then..." Slash blinked, as the person nodded faintly. "I see.....thank you for saving me from whatever had me." She bowed her head, knowing that the one before her was an elder, even though the female looked so young.

"That would be a Chu`lia, one of our riding birds. We were sent to get you, Slash." For some reason, Slash did not find it odd that the girl knew her name.

"My name is Hana, and you are in the Da`kitta tribe." She smiled as Slash recognized the name, even though Slash had no idea why.

"Slash...do you remember anything?" she asked, looking a tad concerned when Slash shook her head.

"Do.....do you really want to know?" gasps came from around the girl, but she did not seem to mind.

"I...I have a promise to keep.....and I should find out who I am.....right? Is not that why I wish to learn so much? So that I may learn who I am? Is that not what drives me to do what I do?" She asked, surprised at the clear crisp sound of her words. Had she spoken like this in Japanese? No, she remembered that much. There was no way she was this clear when speaking Japanese.

"You know....when the world started to change, our tribe had to change to. We were told we no longer had to wait for your kind to fade away, before returning to the green lands. But we stayed here Slash..do you know why?" Slash shook her head, and the girl continued. "Because one of us made a promise to you Slash....and we feel it was our duty to make sure that promise was fulfilled. May I see if we have achieved that?" Slash pondered, before nodding.

"Close your eyes, and think of nothing..." Slash did as she was told, and felt a cool hand touch her forehead......

Memories.......feelings.......instincts.......everything swarmed around her mind, causing Slash to shiver...and then one memory...one that had to do with what the girl was doing to her...

"NO!" Slashs hand snapped out, gripping the throat of the girl. "LIES! ALL LIES!" Slash screamed out, her hand tightening. She could feel the pulse of the girl racing beneath her hand, the bones starting to bend, starting to crack...

********************************************

Slash screamed out in her sleep, sending the animals that were investigating her prone body scattering. Sweat poured down her face, as she sat up, hand touching her throat.

.oO(Those dreams...had been so real.....are they...are they memories of my past?) she looked into the sky, the stars were where they were when she was in the tree. This was reality, she was sure of it.

.oO(But that bird was real....) she looked around, finding her staff beside her, along with a trail of blood. Whatever happened to the bird was none of her concern now, as long as it was no where near her.

.oO(Probably another predator....I should move before I become food as well.) she got up, using the staff to support her weight, and moved off into the forest. Perhaps she would get some sleep, because tomorrow was going to be the worse day of her life.

********************************************************

Morning came finally, the rest of the night leaving Slash in a dreamless state of sleep. By the time the first suns rays hit her face, she was feeling much, much better. Stretching out and eating some berries she had found, she began her trek once more.

And she didn't have to go far before trouble found her.

"GIT 'ER! WE KUN USE 'ER AS BAIT!" those were not words Slash wanted to hear. Picking up the pace, Slash tore through the forest, slashing bushes and plant life out of her way with her staff.

The forest suddenly ended, and she didn't pause as she barreled across an empty space and to the gates of a walled city. Luckily, there was a bunch of people entering, and she slipped amongst them even as the shouts of those who pursued her rang out once more.

Slash continued to run, until she found herself not in a city, but in a giant Arena.

"Ah....you must be a fighter..come with us." Giant hands clamped down on her shoulders, and dragged her from the crowd, into a dark corridor.

"All fighters must present themselves to the Games Master, who will then decide who you will fight. All winnings will be split according to what the Game Master says." The hands shoved her into a small, well lit room, where a pudgy man sat behind a desk, writing things down on parchment.

"Ah...another one...lets see..." the pudgy man looked up, and blinked. "Ah..someone who thinks it would be funny to dress like a lady...." he laughed, Slash looking more confused then ever.

"Ah whatever makes the money. My boys haven't led me wrong before. You will be called The Man Slayer. When you hear your name called, you will enter the ring and fight. The rules are simple: Kill or be Killed. First one to die or be knocked out loses. Got it?"

Slash could only stare at him. Even though the language he used was of the newer kind, she still caught the words that haunted her dreams.

Kill or be Killed.

She didn't know how she made it from the room to a little cell that had a bench and a bucket of water, but she didn't really care. All she could think about was those ever so familiar words, and the way they weaved around her mind seductively.

The hours ticked by, and Slash managed to grab more sleep despite the cheers and boos of the spectators above. Once in awhile, something would slam against the door opposite the one that was used to put her in the room, but she didn’t think much of it. Had she, maybe she would've escaped while she could have.

"And now, be prepared to be amazed by the seductive moves of the Man Slayer!" the crowd went wild, and Slash barely registered the name being called as hers. The door opened to her cell, and she stepped out into the light...

And into a HUGE arena that was covered in blocks and crates, pits and even a small building. The arena might have been used as a training ground when not in use for fights, she figured, as she walked forward, staff clutched in one hand tightly. Something just didn't feel right, and there was a familiar scent in the air, a scent she just couldn't place right then.

"And to challenge this beauty...well..of course it’s the current Champion, The Abomination!" and true to the name, a hulking brute of a man stepped out of the shadows of the small building, grinning evil-like.

Wearing nothing but a loincloth, the Abomination was covered in very few slashs, but was splatter with blood. Slash just blinked, wondering what the hell kind of joke this was.

"Fighters....GO!" the announcer shot something off, and the Abomination came charging towards Slash, raising a huge axe above his head.

.oO(Run you moron!) her mind shouted at her, and she complied, pivoting on one foot and bolting towards the wall. The crowd cheered and booed, and the wall was getting closer and closer...

..but so was the Abomination...

Though he seemed mighty huge, the man was fast. Slash had to think fast, or she was going to become something mighty squishy soon. She glanced behind her, only to see the Abomination closing in. A memory flashed through her head, and she bent low, shaking her head. No way it would work, but it was too late to go back.

Slash leapt at the wall right before she would run into it, bare feet finding the surface rough as she expected. One step, two step..she shoved off, flipping over the head of the surprised Abomination, who could not stop in time. As he hit the wall, Slash touched down, and spun around, twisting her staff at the last minute so the surface of the mace head hit, instead of the bladed part. The Abomination hit the ground like a ton of bricks, and the crowd went wild.

Panting, Slash backed away, not hearing the announcers voice.

"Well folks, seems the Abomination was no match for the Man Slayer!" cheers exploded all over the place.

"And now..." the announcer called the next match...

..and the next...

..and the next few....

The day was soon becoming night, and Slash was tiring. Her body felt even worse then it did the day before, and her mind seemed to be oddly quiet. Still, she couldn't find a way out of the place that didn't have massive guards with deadly weapons guarding it.

"And for the final match.....we have none other then the wonderful Beast Slayer himself!" Slash blinked, wiping sweat out of her eyes. Did the announcer say...Beast Slayer?

Sure enough, walking into the arena was the Hal`shama.

~*I knew I would find you...*~ the words echoed in her head, a growl escaping her throat.

"This will be the match of all matches folk! No one has ever beaten the Beast Slayer, and only just yesterday he single handedly took out the Flame Beast that was terrorizing our great land. Lets see if he can take on the Man Slayer, and Survive!" the booming of the cheers was lost on Slash, as she stared at the grinning face of the Hal`shama.

Turning and running, Slash could think of nothing but getting the hell as far away from the man as she could.

~*Stop running and fight me!*~ his words grasped at her mind, but she managed to shake them off. Behind her she could hear his footfalls as he ran after her.

Leaping onto a stone block, she bounded off and onto the roof of the small building.

"Haaaaaaaaaarrrrooooookkkkkaaa!* the man shouted out, slashing his sword downward at the building. For a moment, nothing happened, and then the building exploded into two pieces, before shattering completely.

.oO(Gods..with that power...why is he chasing me?!) she swung her staff around, hitting the ground and rolling, coming to her feet in a defensive stance.

~*That’s right....*~ his words burned into her mind, her anger rising.

"Why do you do this to me?!" she asked, panting heavily. She didn't like the way he was smiling at her.

"Because......unlike the rest of these people, I happen to know what happened in the past...I know about the Masters..." Slash heard nothing more as a roar escaped her lips, and she rushed him.

Sword and staff met, glancing off one another.

"I see..you remember..." Hal`shama said, shoving away her staff, trying to go for a pommel punch to her face.

Slash pulled her head back, kicking out at his side. "I remember very little...but I do know that anything called Master is something that must not be trusted.." she grunted out, as he blocked her kick.

"But that is..who your kind was made to serve.....and to have one of you still living....yet not able to control....the stories about the flaws are true." He swung downwards, barely missing her body as she stumbled backwards.

"How do you know what I am?!" she took several more steps back, trying to stall for time. Her mind was seething now with anger, her body shivering even though it felt so warm.

"I have men watching the ruins ever since I uncovered the books that date back to the time of Unmakings. They spoke of how the old technology of the ancients was reactivated, and a single Sphere was still working. Using it, they created more monsters to do the dirty work of the descendants of the Masters. So I figured I’d better keep an eye on the place, just in case someone decided to free the beasts that were trapped inside the Spheres. Guess I was wise to do so." He pulled back his arms, and rushed her.

She brought up her staff to block, but a look of shock and surprise came over her face as he spun around, sword changing the position it was aiming for....

"NARUUUUUUUUUUKAAAAA!" he shouted, the blade cutting into her side.....before the energy behind the attack sent her flying across the arena.

******************************************************

Her body hit the ground, rolling, before coming to a stop against some blocks. Things were not looking good. Her side oozed blood, and her mind was oddly silent.

~*Time to die, TurnCoat...*~

Her anger rose, despite the sheer exhaustion she was feeling. The one thing she hated most, was people who could talk in her head, who could mess around with her mind.

And then....it became clear why.

Through the red haze of her vision, she could see him walking towards her slowly, sword tip dragging along the ground. The reason she hated people messing with her head was that...

The Masters. The wars. The control they had on Slash and her kind, using them to kill or to be killed in return.

The memories danced happily around her mind, free from the deep recesses of which they were locked in. The ones that mattered most swelled forth in a heat of anger, tearing apart what little control she had herself.

It all made sense now. What she was, why she was so broken when Ryaera found her, why she kept switching moods so much, why she wouldn't let Rock Lee or Ekkusu kiss her lips. Everything was clear now.

Before instincts clawed away them memories, leaving behind only raw feelings, feelings that she would never get rid of, no matter how many times her body was torn apart to create new Creatures, or how many times she tried to shove the memories away.

With a growl, she got to her feet, knowing the man had hesitated. She could feel the scars returning to her face, the ones that gave her her name. The tail she always thought that was twitching behind her brushed against the ground, and the sounds of the arena were sharper and clearer then ever before. One long ear twitched, as her feet steadied beneath her.

The man watched, unsure of what was happening. Somewhere, the announcer was talking with the Game Master, who said he had no idea what was going on. Something about this not being part of the show. Slash didn't care anymore. All she knew was that the man with the sword had to be killed.

And killed he would be.

With a growl, she started to stalk across the Arena, eyes on the Hal`shama. He watched, his nerves finally settling down. To him, this was just a minor setback. Foolish human. This was no longer the Slash that was winning by pure luck. This was no longer the Slash that cared if she was hurt, or hurt others. Indeed, this was the Slash that was created long ago to do the dirty work of the Masters.

Of his ancestors.

She whirled around, as the Hal`Shama rushed her, and growled. Her tail wrapped around the staff, which the man thought was out of reach of her, not realizing the tail was able to pick up objects. Dragging it forward, she dodged to the side as the sword came swinging down, slicing into the ground. Slash snarled, a fist coming around, clocking the man in the side of the head, sending him stumbling. She picked up her staff, spinning it once, before going into a defensive position. The man regained his balance, looking at her, for the first time since he met her, looking a bit afraid. The fear was replaced by anger and hate once more though, and he adjusted his grip on his sword.

He rushed her, and staff met sword, a snarl leaving her lips. The world around her was fading out, leaving only her and the man alone in it. Her rage increased, her hate for the Masters spilling over to the man before her. Her tail whipped out, wrapping around a wrist, pulling down on it. Surprised, the man tried to back up, but Slash bounced back, tail unwinding, staff coming around for a side hit.

A hit that would've been lethal if she hadn't twisted the staff so only the unbladed part of the head would hit his side.

His body went for a roll, but he managed to come to his feet. He was shown no mercy though as she pounced at him, bringing the staff down, with a mighty roar. The ground where he once lay received one large indent, but Slash was not done. She spun around, bringing the staff up, shattering his hand as he brought his sword down. With a cry, he let go of his sword, clutching his wounded hand. The staff swung around once more, slamming into his stomach, sending him to the ground.

"....." the man said nothing as Slash stepped over him, her pupils no more then tiny pinpoints in her odd colored eyes. She dropped her staff, and crouched down, hands snapping forward, gripping his neck.

"Die....die die die die...." she snarled out, thumbs digging into the flesh of the front of his neck.

His eyes bugged out, his body unable to struggle much due to the pain in his hand, and the last hit she gave him. She watched, not smiling, but snarling, as the life in his started to seep out.

~*Please........it was....just a game........I...*~ his mind voice was cut off as she stood up, dragging him up with her.

"NEVER AGAIN! I WILL NEVER AGAIN BE YOUR PUPPET!" she snarled out, fingers digging more and more into his neck.

*Slash...if you kill him.....you are just doing what you were created to do.....do you really wish to kill again?* the voice touched her mind feather light, but it was not a voice she was afraid of...no...it was...

"They killed EVERYONE.......I killed so many......" her finger loosened a bit, her eyes not seeing the man reaching into the back of his pants with his good hand.

*Slash.....you are what you are....but you always wanted to be more....please...please Beloved...* a tear ran down her cheek, before the familiar bite of steel touched her arm. With a cry of pain, she let go of the man, who sank to the ground, gasping for air. Little did he know that he had just killed the last bit of reasoning Slash had...

The roar of the Beast rang out into the night air, as the being once known as Slash became something much more feral...much more deadly...something from a past that existed before the one that the man laying on the ground in fear even knew about.

The Beast let roar after roar, before tearing through the Arena walls, and making into the forest. Some tried to follow, but when the trees and bushes and other plant life hid the view of the beast, all sounds of its goings ons vanished as well.

******************************************************

She woke to the sounds of silence. All around her was a filtered darkness, light peeking through what cracks were created by the giant roots of the trees that covered the forest above the abandoned building. As her eyes adjusted to the dimness, her mind tried to recall what had happened. Only bits and pieces came back, and when she tried to move, she was more confused then ever. Dark red blood covered her side, and the slight movement had caused the wound to reopen some. Her arms killed, and when she looked at them, one had a long thin line down it, blood covering it as well.

.oO(What...happened....) she blinked, looking around her. She was in the Sphere room, where she had come in two days before. The memory of Ryaera saying the portal would open in three days time flickered into her mind, and she let out a sob of relief. She wanted to go back to TH, back to where she wasn't bleeding, back to a world that made sense.

Slowly getting to her feet, she hobbled her way towards the dais that held the Spheres. She stumbled, tripping on a piece of broken sphere, and crashed into one of the darkened Spheres.

Light, dimmed and pulsating, started to occur in the Sphere she ran into. Blinking, Slash let her curiosity take over, and she ran her hands over the surface of the Sphere. It felt almost like she could press her hands into it.

And she did!

She tried to pull back, but something gripped her hands, as mens voices behind her shouted out. Glancing back, she saw several men entering the room, weapons ready to render her to shreds. She saw little more as she was pulled into the Sphere.

************************************************

~*Ah Slash...we meet again..*~ instantly she wanted to fight whoever was speaking into her mind, hands trying to form into fists.

~*Shhh...calm down Slash...it is me...or should I say you?*~ there was a hint of sad amusement in the voice, and Slash opened her eyes, looking up. Floating above her was....something. More beastial then anything, but Slash felt a familiarity with it.

~*That is because I am part of you....I am one of the few left...Slash..do you not remember those dreams where you could feel yourself being torn into pieces, though your body remained whole?*~ Slash blinked, before nodding slowly. Everything around them was a faded out blue color, and she felt weightless.

~*Our memories are scattered as well, but we have been trying to get back to you Slash....we are dying..*~ Slash nodded, because she knew that this was true. Faint memories of her past formed, and she shook her head.

"Please...no more....I hurt...so much..." indeed, the wound at her side was making itself noticeable, bleeding freely once more.

~*Slash...you know what to do.....please...end my suffering.....and ease yours.....With one less part of you to support, the Ancients will be able to keep the others alive much longer...Slash...you have a task to do...you must learn..you must grow....you must continue to fight against what you were made to be....please Slash...inside, you know what I speak is true...*~ Slash nodded, but she could feel herself weakening from the loss of blood.

"Tonight....I go back to Twilight High......I must go back..I have a promise to keep..." she said, eyes half open, watching the beasty-like thing above her.

Gentle hands touched her face, forcing her to tilt her head upwards. Half beast-half human, the other Slash stared at her with giant, red eyes.

~*You remember......how we were torn apart.....you remember your past....the past beyond that....I do not know what will happen when we are rejoined....but you will at least remember the promises you made.*~ Slash slowly raised her hands up, touching the beast/human face.

"Be Free......forever." she whispered, before pulling her hands back...and slamming them forward.

*************************************************

Night was starting to fall when Slash woke up, back against the Sphere that would never glow again. Her body moved on its own accord, binding her wounds. Nearby she could see her staff, amongst other weapons that were most likely dropped when the men fled after Slash entered the Sphere. She smiled faintly as she crawled over to it, before standing, using it to hold up her weight. Carefully, she made her way to the dais that held her own broken Sphere, carefully stepping around the dark blue shards. Sitting down, she let out a deep breath, before falling over, body demanding more sleep.

**********************************************

The portal opened, and without even being fully aware of it, Slash stepped through, returning back to TH.

But was she returning with answers? Or just more questions and problems?

~To Be Continued...

Story written by Vessa-Sushi (S.W.) November 8-9, 2004.
Characters copyright/belong to their respective creators.
Anything else belongs to me (Slash, the world she is in, etc etc.)

HOOOOO HAAAA!

P.S - Yeah, my grammar and spelling suck. So does spell-check. Deal with it :P