We Will Meet Again

But, she is not as innocent as one would think. She has sinned far too many times. That's why she won't bring him down with her. She won't allow him to step into the darkness just when he has been basked in such a bright light.

How strange of her to feel this way. Akito isn't that person, and yet she feels comfortable - comfortable enough to show her defenceless side.

Setsura turned her attention back to the battlefield before her.

"Join us, lady Aurora."

Eh, they called Jina, Lady Aurora?

Watching this scene, Setsura felt that there was something wrong. Lack of emotion in their voices is one thing, but even their movements and actions seemed to have no souls. Setsura thought back to the demons she saw. Could it be, that these people covered in masks are demons too? "Join us, and we will create a better world."

"I can't believe you," she rejected them. "When I listen to your words, I felt nothing at all. Did you know, humans when they speak, have a certain voice pattern. Everybody's words contain feelings and emotions, even the most heartless person. But yours? I feel nothing at all. I don't know what kind of creatures you are, but this is the first time I've encountered people like yourselves. You're not human are you?"

Ah... At that comment, Setsura watched as one of the masked figures flinch.

"There is no soul in your words. How could you possibly expect me to go with you? Monster or human, you should have emotions. So I do not know what you are. You may think I am similar, but you're wrong. I still have my emotions. If I went with you, I'd definitely become like you.

If that person is the one behind this, then I suggest he start running. I will hunt him down and find him."

Setsura's eyes widened when she hears those words. This girl reminds her of herself. The stubbornness? The speech, no matter what it is, there is undoubtedly something familiar. Setsura looked around, isn't there something she could use? Judging from the way things are now, these people will use underhanded means to get her. Jina seems strong, but she is still a girl. She can't match a male's physic/body build.

...

Setsura didn't know if her plan worked. It was one careless plan too, but she looked over at Jina. She saved her. Setsura was about to open her mouth to speak, when -- "Are you crazy? What were you thinking just now?" Jina snarled.

"Thank you very much for saving me is what you should say."

Jina sighed, "I do appreciate it, but you don't have that guy with you, do you? I can tell that you're completely powerless without him."

Setsura frowned at those words, utterly powerless without Akito? Sure she has been relying on him a lot since she arrived. But that did not mean that she could not do anything without him.

"Anyhow," Jina sighed again, "You should refrain from jumping into a fight like this. I'll take you back to the building."

Setsura shook her head, "I came here for a reason."

"Reason?"

"Up there," Setsura pointed towards the sky. The light was undoubtedly getting brighter and brighter. Setsura was having a hard time keeping her gaze on the sky, due to the bright and intense light.

Like Akito however, Jina looked at the area confused.

..

Clock Tower

Setsura had Jina wait outside, or more like Jina offered to stay outside. The girl told her that no sane person would enter the clock tower since so many deaths occurred here. While death scared her, Setsura didn't want to waste any more time.

"This..." Setsura mumbled, "Looks familiar..."

How come? Setsura closed her eyes and thought back to the vague memories she had of the present.

She's falling, watching him fade away. She wants to take his hand, but she knows she can't.

Something like ' no hardship' does not exist in this world. People will always suffer, cause pain, grieve. You cannot rid yourself of those emotions, no matter what happens. But if you do, if you do try. You must abandon something.

Even if that something is the person who is most dear to you

Setsura's memories of the pas-no the future were still very vague, but she knew one thing was for sure. She lived her entire life, trying to maintain that mindset. To gain something precious, she would have to abandon what's in front of her. Setsura tried to remember where she saw this place before, but unfortunately, nothing came to mind.

She recalled that somebody - somebody importance told her it was okay to break down. That person had held her close and told her, ' It's alright to break down now. But you have to be strong'. When she asked him how she could do that, he came up with a silly idea of a catchphrase. Back then she had thought he stupid? Is he serious?

Especially under those circ.u.mstances, and yet he saved her, and that's why she ended up considering it. Before anything happened she said them; she said them knowing that if she didn't, then she would end up breaking down in more ways then one. It was used as a defensive barrier of some sort. A wall of defense preventing anyone from seeing the true her. From anyone seeing that she really was weak.

Just saying that alone wouldn't have been enough. That's why she kept working hard. Even though she was already strong, there were still people who were stronger than her. That's why Setsura trained — trained so hard. She shuts her eyes, every single time she fought, she can still remember it ever so clearly — the suffering she had to go through to get stronger. Once obtaining strength, the burden of the strong.

She learned a little martial arts for self-defense, but Setsura tried to hide it. If people here knew she could fight, would they not try to harm her? The clock tower was very eerie; the items that decorated the wall were unfamiliar to her.

Just a single movement caused a creaking sound to appear on the ground. A deep sigh escaped her lips, what exactly is she looking for anyway? Setsura didn't know herself, but she felt like she would know if she saw it with her own eyes. Her thoughts broke off when she saw an unusual door not too far from where she was standing. A large triangular arc-shaped door, with silver, colored vines. Ah...

__

"It's easier to hide in plain sight." He explains, shuffling towards the living room. Souko, "Besides that this is the first time I've invited you here, isn't it?"

Setsura gave a slight nod. Upon spotting the rows and rows of books, she noticed one book was slightly out than the others, "The guiding oracle?"

"Yes. He is the being that lives up in the heavens and watches over all the worlds. Setsura, you received the gem from him, didn't you?"

"Rather than say, I received it. It's more like I had to go through a lot to get it."

He gives a short laugh, "Of course you did."

There really was something about his tone that seemed sinister just then. Perhaps she imagined it, "Either way the Oracle isn't a nice guy. He isn't one who would easily attach himself to one individual. Since he is the one who oversees this world, it wouldn't be fair for him to be particular close to anyone."

__

Present

"Guiding oracle," Setsura voiced out. In the past, somebody told her that before. Who was it? Setsura didn't have time to think when the doors suddenly creaked open. The vines that restricted the place seemed to shatter of their own accord.

Setsura blinked in confusion, but she took a deep breath. It should be okay, from the looks of things - these vines are hard to break. Unless they break by themselves like they did just now, nobody else should be in the room with that faint reassurance in the back of her mind. Setsura entered the room. When she stepped inside, she wasn't sure what she expected to see. But, 'How beautiful,' Setsura thought. The room had nothing conspicuous inside, at least from what she could see. Instead, it looked like something out of a fairytale.

A room filled with books, and a grand staircase in the center. The floor made strangely out of familiar material. Steel? Or glass? Either way, it was certainly not a room that belonged to this era.