Chapter 6 - Life of Keare

Great Action Scene! Magical Princess' Book of Ninja Arts - Part 3 of 3

Sakura could hear the commotion outside her door. Her mother had told her to stay in her room and hide no matter what. She said she'd be back in five minutes, but she was sure it had been a lot longer by now. It must have been an hour at least. Outside she could see red lights devour the city. They were so beautiful, but she felt sadness in looking at them, as if they were something too complicated for her to understand.

From her window the red lights seemed to grow brighter, but even their beauty couldn't satisfy her. The noises outside where getting louder, and she wanted to know what was happening. Her mother wouldn't be too cross, and besides - she had promised to come back. Sakura couldn't be blamed for breaking the rules when her mother did the same thing.

As she opened the door, her life fell around her. The walls of the castle were red, stained with blood, and death surrounded her. She could barely look for a second before she ran back into her room, stunned into silence. Everyone was dead. Everyone. Killed by ninjas for a reason she couldn't possibly comprehend. In a moment, her whole life had been ruined. Was her father still alive? What about her mother? Oh god, where was her sister? What happened to Keare?

~

The ensuing battle wasn't going well, for either party. A stalemate had ensued, yet amongst the violence Mikeira and her "sister" just stared at each other, fixed in position.
"What will it take for you to give me the stone? Do I have to kill them?"
Mikeira flinched at the thought, but remained resolute in her silence. She didn't know where the stone was, but this woman didn't know that. And maybe she could use that to her advantage.

As she pondered her next move Ryo, Kaa and the others began to tire. Their foes were beginning to take the upper hand, and it was starting to look bad for them. Suddenly, however, the fight turned around, as desperate Yuan somehow mustered the strength to send one of the ninjas ,who was attacking Faan, flying with a kick. Then, teaming up with her once again, they subdued the ninja - knocking him out, and reducing the competition by one. The woman noticed the change in the tide, scowled, and flew into action.

First striking Faan, then Yuan - and taking them out with a single kick - it wasn't long until the entire team where unconscious on the floor. With madness in her eyes, she glared at Mikeira.
"Is this what you wanted? Is it!?" She screamed, madly.
In fear, Mikeira snapped, and dashed for the exit. She ran through the corridors, believing her pursuers to be right behind her. However, suddenly the door in front of her opened, and her fears were realized, and her sister came face to face with her once again.

~

Keare looked Sakura deep in the eyes, "I won't let anything happen to you - I promise", she whispered.
Together they had managed to escape the burning castle, and had entered the waterway. Sakura wouldn't stop asking if they could go back, saying they forgot their father and mother, and - heartbroken - Keare simply ignored her naive cries, as she pulled her along.

"But what if they're waiting for us?", she whined, "They'll be mad"
"Just be quiet, please" Keare whispered harshly. "We don't want to get caught!"
Her warning was too late however, and the high-pitched wails of the infantile Sakura had caught the ears of a ninja, a female one with long black hair. Sakura didn't notice at first, but her sister did, and stood there petrified. The ninja smiled cruely, as it slowly moved towards them, and without thinking Keare grabbed Sakura and ran, as fast as she could. Waiting until the ninja caught up to them and then pushing Sakura into the water flow, before leaning down and tripping the ninja over - and basically allowing herself to get caught. Sakura Mikeira would have to continue the Mikeira line on her own, as the last heir. Keare didn't think she would survive.

~

Mikeira woke up in the castle quarters. Her mind was blurry, but the second she realized were she was she realized she was in danger. However, moments later, a calm and collected Faan arrived, with a tray of food.
"Ah, you're awake at last" she smiled.
She explained - while skipping no details - how Mikeira had fainted, and how basically, if Razu hadn't arrived they would all be dead. She told the story with such a smiley disposition Mikeira had to wonder if she was alright in the head. She stared at her hard, thinking those exact thoughts, when Faan clicked her fingers - as if remembering something.

"Oh yeah! I was meant to give you this, wasn't I?"
She handed Mikeira a stone, one that resembled the one on her necklace - and one that was most likely the original stone. She then left to give Mikeira some peace and quiet. Just as she was about to start on her food however, the stone began to glow even brighter than before. A ray of light shot out from it, hitting a portrait on the wall - a portrait which appeared to be a painting of her younger self, her mother, her father, and what was undoubtedly her captor. Her sister.

Behind the painting however, there was a small slot. The stone felt like it was calling to it, so she placed it in - and it fitted perfectly. Suddenly, a huge surge of light filled the castle, brightening the walls, and returning the colour and life back to the place. Inside the slot, the stone began to dull - and within seconds it turned to stone, looking stun like another part of the wall.

Outside order was somehow restored. It wasn't instant, and it wasn't perfect, but it was suddenly as if a great anger was lifted from the people. Instead of finding problems with everything, they began to find solutions, and right before her eyes, Mikeira watched from her window as everything suddenly fell into place. The life had been restored to the city, just like the castle - and within seconds the land had been restored to it's previous greatness. The Land of Discord was once again the Land of Joy.

~

Meanwhile, Keare had escaped. Unable to kill her, Razu had simply tied her up - in the hopes of interrogating her - but in the midst of all that had happened with the stone being returned, she managed to escape during the celebrations.

Razu and his students searched everywhere, but there was no sign of her. There was no way she could have left the castle - but they couldn't find her anywhere inside it either. It was as if she has vanished of the face of the earth. However, Kaa eventually discovered the cruel truth. She was with Mikeira. And sure enough, when she and Buri tried to open the door it was locked.

~

"Well, sister. I guess you aren't as useless as we thought."
Mikeira made to turn around and face her sister, but a knife in her back warned her not to.
"Still, this doesn't mean you've won. We can't win against them. You can fight them as much as you want, but in the end - someone is going to die. Are you willing to risk it?"
Disregarding her safety, Mikeira turned quickly around to face her sister. And sure enough, she recognized her finally. It was her sister, Keare. The sister she didn't even know she had until now. This kingdom was hers, the portrait and the stone proved it, and she and Keare were its only surviving heirs. So... why did Keare do what she did?

"Something is coming, sister, something big. Something powerful. And when it arrives, we'll all have to pick a side. For your sake, you better hope I'm on the wrong one - cause the losers are gonna be in for one hell of a shock."
With that final warning she pushed Mikeira aside and jumped out the window. Mikeira rushed behind her and looked down, but couldn't see her. She hadn't fallen to her death, that was for sure. But where was she exactly?

~

"So I'm going to stay here", Mikeira explained.
Kaa, Ryo, Faan and the others were surprised, but acceptant as well. Mikeira had decided to stay in the kingdom of joy and help restore it completely. It was going to be quite a job, but they knew she could do it. Razu smiled at the fledgling princess, and with a final goodbye the team left her behind. But they were sure that they would meet again.