Light and darkness
by Okami
Sat, 27 May 2000, at 12:30 p.m. CST

Trammel was high in the sky, Felucca chasing after it methodically. Okami sat in the house silently, staring at the blade of his katana. He'd managed to capture Ryan, but to what effect? Did it heal Aeeyia's bruises, or ease his conscious? Ryan asked what the point of his capture was, and in all honesty he couldnt answer. It had somehow felt right to beat him to near death, and to let Aeeyia loose on him. Maybe it had helped her, maybe it hadn't. He sure hoped so. Andrew had wanted to try and make Ryan talk about the guard, but in all honesty, he didn't give a damn about the guard. He just wanted to pay Ryan back for making Aeeyia hurt. He still remembered telling Ryan to crawl home, knowing damn well he probably couldnt. One thing was for sure, Ryan wasnt normal. No man could or should have lasted as long as he did. But then what kind of a man did what he did to Aeeyia. He silently muttered,"At lest she was avenged..." He felt a breeze cross his back, and a grey clad figure land on the table across from him. "What was avenged, her or your pride?" Instinctively drawing his blade, Okami cursed. "Damn Guard." He swung at the man, but his sword found nothing but wood, as the man quietly rolled aside. QUickly lifting his own mask, the man grinned at Okami. "So this is how ye treat old friends now?"
Okami almost fell over from shock. He was the last person he ever expected to see again.
"Thats right, its me, Sasuke, your favorite partner in crime." The lithe figure slowly drawed into a defensive position. "Hehe, ya shouldn't feel so bad, ya just accepting who you are." The ninja grinned. "Isnt being a bloodthirsty monster part of your heritage?" Sasuke saw Okami draw his blade back to strike. "Woah!" He lept back, dodging the strike again. "I'm here to try and help."
"What?"
"I owe ya one, and since ya friend Valeria aint here to save yer arse, guess I'll be doing it." Okami slowly sheathed his sword. "There friend, now we can talk. I thought ya might want to know somethings I've found out."
"Like?"
"Those killings outside Britain have moved to Vesper, and the butcher's set up shop in the graveyard there. Hes got a nasty habit of collecting hearts, says hes cooking up some spell... Sound familiar?"
Okami nodded.
"Wow, 2 years, I get hacked at and a nod. Geeze you dont trust anyone do ya? Look friend, you just wait here, I'll see about calming the guard down. Ya might wanna go to Vesper, before Kunori cooks up something nasty, and it cant be stopped."
Okami nodded again.
"Dont worry about her," Sasuke smiled, "She'll be safe here in nowhere land, I've already paid some guards to patrol here a bit closer, and I dont think she'll wake up anytime soon, she'll need to rest to heal."
"I will always worry about her."
Sasuke nodded. "Lets just take care of business... Feels good being partners in crime with ya again."
Okami glanced to the side. "Your normal fee?"
"Nawh, this ones on the house..."
The ninja uttered an incantation, and was gone.
Okami glanced one more time in the room where Aeeyia slept. "Not yet. I won't leave ya yet."
He sat back in the chair and resumed his vigil.