I read Nightelf's "Sunrise Chronicles" recently. Great work, but Ryouga's
dead, and i'm depressed. Since then, odd ideas have been rampaging about
me head, distracting me from studying for finals, writing my fic, eating,
and other important things. I kept thinking: How could it be possible to
get Ryouga out of this. This is what i came up with. Sorry Nightelf. I
sort of used your premise witout your permission. Please forgive me! I
only used a little...


The dark robed figure watched as events played them selves out. (S)He
had forseen this event years before, and had been eagerly anticapating
such an opportunity. Finally, (s)he would have the warriors (s)he had so
long desired. The spell was poised in the figure's hands and mind. The
spirit cage was open and waiting at the figure's feet. 

A column of white fire spread outward from the mount. There, swirling in
the Ki, were the three souls that the figure needed. (S)He released the
spell, and a small spirit vortex formed in the soul cage. The souls of the
deceased, now free of their bodily confinement, rushed into the cage. When
the souls (s)he desired had been collected, the figure quickly snapped
shut the door of their new prison. The figure thought, at the final
moment, that perhaps one other soul had been captured as well. But no, the
one who was to survive would surely not allow his love to perish. With
that thought in mind, the figure faded from view, retreating to the
sanctuary between realms. 

Somehwere not quiet here, yet not quite there either...

The figure watched the swirls of energy in the soul cage as (s)he prepared
the division spell. *They are so bright! These ones truly shall make for
powerful warriors.* Peering around the room, the figure spied three cages
of ice. In the first resided a hooded hawk, uneasily shifting about on the
frigid perch in his prison. In the second, a razor-backed boar. The beast
paced back and forth, occasionally testing the bars of the cage. In the
third, a great spotted leopard. The mountain cat lounged in affected ease,
but her eyes constantly scanned the room beyond.

*All of the necessairy ingredients are gathered. Now to begin.*

The figure cast the division spell upon the cloud of light occupying the
soul cage. For a moment, the cloud writhed in confusion. Something within
the cage resisted seperation. Then, with a vague ripping sensation, the
cloud pulled apart into three roughly equal sections. The figure puzzled
over this event. *Perhaps i left them to mingle too long.* As the figure
looked on, (s)he could destinguish a part in each division that did not
seem to belong. *This part must have mixed. No matter. They seem stronger
than before, yet they are still individuals. Perhaps this will create a
bond of some sort.* The figure grumped irritably at this new variable, but
proceeded with the rite. 

*Which to do first..? Ah! The Watcher...* The figure turned to one of the
three souls that (s)he had gleaned. It pulsated with a subdued internal
light, yet the figure could see the fires of eternal dedication burning
within. Drawing the soul from the cage, the figure moved towards the hawk.

Sensing the figure approach, the hawk hopped off of his perch and moved
to the back of the ice cage. It was not far enough to elude the subtle
approach of the tendrils of heatless flame that curled out of the soul in
the figure's hands. The hawk screeched behind his hood, every fiber of his
being protesting the intrusion. Then the screeches began to change,
twisting and warping as the hawks form was, until once again body and
voice were in harmony. The young man's cry cut off abrubtly as his head
struck the top of his cage. 

*Hmm...that one was taller than I had estimated...* The figure thought as
(s)he looked on at the slumped form in the cage. The young man's waist
leghth black hair was streaked white above either temple, and his black
fingernails gleamed with a razor-like edge.   

*Enough time to rouse that one later. Now, which next?* The figure
thought, quickly pacing back to the soul cage. Of the two remaining souls,
the Watcher had seemed to tug towards one with particular fervor. The
figure examined this soul now, noting the familiar subdued glow. Unlike
the watcher, however, this glow seemed to dart about the cloud, the light
lancing through the haze in sharp spikes of awareness.

*Aaah...The Hunter. She seems a bit more restless since the watcher left.
Perhaps she would like to join him?* 

The figure slowly and deliberately drew the second soul from its prison,
careful not to agitate it further. Then (s)he turned to the cage on the
end, steadily meeting the gaze of the now standing mountain cat within.
Stopping before the cage, the figure held the soul forward, then stood
back and watched as the glowing cloud and the leopard circled each other.
Suddenly, without warning, the cloud darted forward into the leopard's
eyes. The cat flipped back as if struck, then writhed on the ground in
silence, all of its consciousness focused upon the battle raging within.
It was over rather quickly. 

The woman in the cage stood unsteadily on her new legs, triumphant. Cat's
eyes stared out intently from beneath her long, lavender hair. Noticing
the Watcher in the cage at the other end of the row, the Hunter silently
bore her fangs and glared at the figure. The figure simply peered
quizically back at her, and smiled.   

Returning to the soul cage, the figure peered intently at the final
remaining cloud of spiritual essence. Nowhere to be seen was the outward
calm displayed by the other souls. This last spirit whipped and whithed in
chaotic circles, it's energies arcing across the outer surface of the
clound like miniature lightening bolts. Inside, protected by a small
nimbus of calm, was that peculiar piece of soul which all three shared in
common. *How fitting. What do you defend now, Guardian?* A sardonic grin
passed across the figure's face as (s)he lifted the soul cage from the
table and, holding it at arms legnth, proceeded to the center cage. 

The boar was not pleased. It began to pace back and forth in the cage,
occasionally butting the bars adjacent to the Watcher's prison. The
Watcher eventually stirred, then raised his head to peer at the source of
his disturbance. Something beyond the large boar caught his eye: the
Hunter. Caged. 

Roaring with rage, the watcher quickly rose to his feet, then just as
quickly slumped down again as his skull once again struck the roof of the
cage. The boar grunted once in his direction before turning to face the
figure and lowering it's head.

*Oh..a challange, is it?* The figure's eyes sparkled in amusement. *This
ought to be interesting...*

Carefully reaching around the soul cage, the figure undid the latch and
quickly shoved the open end of the cage against the bars of ice. The
roaring tempest within streamed forth. At that same moment, the boar made
a desperate lunge at the bars. Spirit and beast collided.

Having been knocked down when the boar rammed the bars, the figure sat on
the floor and watched the battle unfold.

Green lightning arced and coursed across the boar's pelt. Bellowing and
thrashing about, the boar vainly attempted to maintain controll. The
Hunter looked on in anticipation as the cages rattled and rocked, often
glancing over to the now entranced figure on the floor. With a final cry,
the boar subsided and collapsed to the ground, racked with convulsions.

One or two small motes of energy still played across the Guardian's skin.
Standing wearily, she revealed herself to be an attractive young woman.
Her slim frame belied a well defined musculature. Standing slightly
crouched, she surveyed the area, golden yellow eyes eventually fixing upon
the figure outside the cage. She drew her lips back in a snarl, bearing a
set of long fangs where her canines should be.

The figure started back a bit from the wild look in the Guardian's eyes.
*I would have thought that making her female would calm a bit of that, or
at the very least confuse her for a while.* The figure took in look on the
Guardian's face, framed by short red-brown hair of the same color as the
boar's pelt. *Well, it seems you didn't totally lose out after all... I do
hope she dosen't retain too much of a wild streak.* 

The Guardian shifted her gaze for a moment, glancing back and forth
between the Hunter and the Watcher. A strong feeling of familiarity washed
over her. For the first time in her short life, the hunter formulated a
coherent thought. *I know that one, that she. That he as well. How? Wait,
how do i know that this one is she, while that one is he?* The Guardian
looked down at herself. *I am a she as well? That is...is...wrong. How do
I know this? Why does this not make sense?* The Guardian's features took
on a look of abject confusion.

*It's about time.* Thought the figure irritably. 

*Why is it I am a she is wrong? What is this feeling? I...remember?
Remember a she,...before.* A warm feeling spread throughout the Guardian's
chest, as the image of a girl with short black hair and a cute smile
danced along the fringes of her consciousness. 

The iamge of the girl was surrounded by white light, and the Guardian
knew this too, to be wrong. The Guardian screamed silently in her mind as,
again and again, the image of the girl was consumed be the white flame.
*NOOOOO!!!! STOP!! What is this I feel?! Who is this I see?! A she. What
is she called? A...Aka...*

The figure watched with growing unease as the expression on the Guardian's
face passed from confusion, into happiness, then into pain. Pain, and
terror. (S)He could feel the energy welling up in the Guardian, but had
scarcely tome to stand before the Guardian parted her lips and cried a
single word. 

"AKANE!!!!!!"

The sanctuary rocked as a brilliant column if green energy lanced upward
from the Guardian, blasting the ice cage to bits and sending the Hunter
and the Watcher flying off in opposite directions. The figure, far enough
away to simply be knocked to the ground, looked on in horror as the last
three year's work was instantly rent asunder.

As the column of light subsided, the walls of the sanctuary buckled,
revealing the cold, colorless void beyond. *No, damn it! This cannot be
happening!* The figure thought franticly as (s)he scrambled for the book
of spells on the table, hoping to find a suitable reinforcement spell.
(S)he noticed that the room had gotten a lot brighter in the last few
moments, and looked up to see a huge sphere of green light decending
towards the Guardian. *No....*

The sphere of light struck, shattering the sanctuary once and for all, and
scattering its inhabitants to the dimentional winds of the void. Unable to
maintain there existance there for long, the Watcher, Hunter, and Guardian
vanished back into the material realm. The figure alone still stood where
the sanctuary had once been, incased in a tiny bubble of real space. 

*No...*


Well...that's it...please don't hurt me...

~Eimii- professional pain magnet