It was nearing evening in this strange wilderness, soft peach coloured clouds lolling with the breeze. So now the whole group heads back to the cottage. Even within the group they have their own little cliques. 

Kumori and Iwa moving ahead of the group, both of them seem to be talking away intensely with gestures flying wildly but both were out of earshot. 
  

Galford and Nakaruru next in line with, Galford was trying to calm the perspiration drenched Nakaruru who kept glancing back at the Twisted Pair. Galford knew that Nakaruru had a feeling that something dark is looming ahead but he tried his best to prevent Nakaruru from screaming it out like a lunatic. He knew that this few days were hard on but there's nothing much he could do. Since they had taken the job. Maybe it was time to ask for a transfer. 

Rimururu was aware of her sister's uneasiness but she had given the job of comforting her sister over to Galford. Now along with Shikururu and Poppy, she pestered Sean and Sakura with her insatiable curiosity. Despite her sweet looking exterior they found her somewhat intimidating, especially the wide-eyed way she looked at them when she found what they said was fascinating. 
  
  

And not far behind them was the Twisted Pair, at least one half of the Twisted Pair is awake and doing the walking. 'ChunLi' had not liked the idea of anyone else helping her to carry 'Ryu'. So every hour or so they would stop to let 'ChunLi' shift 'Ryu' from shoulder to shoulder. 

Behind them were Haohmaru and the others, Charlotte was briefing Rinka and Shizumaru for Haohmaru's voice would be too loud. They were briefed about the possible reaction of the Twisted Pair upon reaching the cottage. Everybody's job was to ensure that neither party gets hurt. 
  

Along the way 'ChunLi' kept shooting her thoughts at 'Ryu', she didn't cared if he could hear her or not for she had to voice it to someone. 
<<  I don't like it then and I still don't like it now. Someone's watching us.  >> 'ChunLi' started and was answered with silence. 
<<  And this business of going south, there's something there isn't it? You could feel it getting stronger. Don't you.  >> 

<<  And the one watching us. What is she up to anyway. >> 'ChunLi' was about to continue when she had this strange feeling which she thought came from her unconscious mate. 

She continued on her way again, aware that the others seem to be escorting them somewhere. Yet there was something else going on as well. A kind of change within her own body as well her mate's. 
  

A feeling like something that had being torn apart coming together once more. A slight numbing cold at the mind similar to brain freeze when one eats ice cream too quickly. 'ChunLi' nearly lost her footing when she felt a slight electrifying tingle down her spine. She mumbled a few curses at 'Ryu' 

<<  You lucky jerk. You go through this while unconscious and I have to do this awake.  >>  she slapped 'Ryu' on the head with her free hand. The colours seem to fade as she was enveloped by a moment of inky darkness. No feelings, no sound, nothing in sight, not even her mate whom she thought that she was supporting on her shoulder. Giving her the feeling of being insubstantial. 
  

@@@@@@@@ 
  

<<  One dream  >> Iwa shot at Kumori 
<<  One soul  >> Kumori added with slight puzzlememt 
<<  One prize  >> Iwa started to snap her fingers. 
<<  One goal  >>  Kumori was suddenly aware of that odd feeling too and joined in. 
<<  One golden glance >> 
<<  Of what should be  >> Kumori's eyebrows were raised, she looked behind for a while. 

<<  One shaft of light >> Iwa smiled when her friend recognised what's going on. 
<<  That shows the way  >> 
<<  No mortal man  >> 
<<  Can win this day  >>  Kumori saw that the others were looking around nervously 

<<  The bell that rings  >> 
<<  Inside your mind  >> 
<<  Is challenging  >> 
<<  The doors of time  >> 

<<  The waiting seems eternity  >> 
<<  The day will dawn of sanity  >> 
<<  Is this a kind of magic  >> 
<<  There can be only one  >> 

<<  This rage that lasts a thousand years  >> 
<<  Will soon be done……  >> Kumori ended as the strange feeling vanished. Both Iwa and her looked back. The others had more or less sensed it too, especially the conscious half of the Twisted Pair. 
  

@@@@@@@ 
  

The momentary darkness that only covered 'ChunLi' fades returning the slightly disoriented 'ChunLi' to where she was, somehow she felt different yet she wasn't sure what went on. She looked ahead seeing Kumori and Iwa looking back at her and smiling, they then returned to their conversation leaving 'ChunLi' puzzled as she tries to figure out what was happening. 
  

@@@@@@@ 
  

"Do we really need to use that song?" Kumori asked as looked behind her once more. 
"Well It's kind of appropriate when something like the Great Divide is null." 
"Point taken. It could have being 'Two become one' you know." 

"That Spice girls song…It's not that appropriate. How about 'True Colours'?…." Iwa asked before she took a sip of water from her bottle. 
"I think the only colour they saw was black…It could be 'My heart will go on'." 
  

"Hellooooo. The ship sunk. End of story." Iwa said in a slightly irritated tone. 
"You don't like Celine Dion?" 
"I like Celine Dion but not that song that get played on air every hour of the day and with voice clips added from the movie. I got every other Celine Dion's song except for that one." 

"You know it's out on video." 
"If you rent that. I'll go rent Highlander 1, 2 and 3 as well as Lin Ching Hsia's Swordmen 2 and 3 where she was Dong Fang Bu Bei (The Invincible East.)." 
"Ar…. More mindless sword fighting flicks. They were shown on TV the last two times" 
  

"At least I won't fall asleep like when I was watching that sinking ship movie the last twelve times. I can watch the same amount of Lin Ching Hsia's Dong Fang Bu Bei movies as you can that Ship movie. Your call K." 
"……Matrix?" 
"Matrix is good." 
"Okay Matrix then. He's the one who null the Great Divide right?" Kumori thumbed behind her. Both of them were talking about two different things at the same time. 

"Yup. You know how he is. If he reaches a new level. He makes sure his mate get there too." 
"The focus was on the Great Divide for a long while. What's the deal anyway?" Kumori kicked a small stone that was in her way." 
  

"One vision." Iwa put up her index finger. 
"No. No more singing." 
"Okay. No more croaking. Mainly all about balance and that part about Light and Dark being dependent on each other." 
"So he's one guy doing the 'Shift' now?" 
"You can put it that way. The only problem we might have is figuring out where he ends and where his darkside takes over. Guess you'll be staying in Shadowlaw for a while." 
  

"Heh heh. Great time for a vacation too. You know I always thought that when the Great divide is null there be a large bell like 'Dong!'." 
"Naw.. More like an ominous 'thud'." 
"Oh yeah. You being through that eleven years ago." Kumori glanced behind once again. 'ChunLi' had stopped for the moment and was shifting 'Ryu' to her other shoulder. 
  

"She's late." Iwa said as she looked around. 
"She's just being fashionable. She likes making some grand entrance. I don't think she likes the Nulling though." 
"Too bad for her then. What will be will be." 
"Are you trying to sing?" 

"No." 
"Sounds like lyrics to me." 
"Drop it. Or you'll be watching the Hong Kong Street Fighter movie in which Aaron Kwok acted in." 
"Okay. What's with you and that movie? I thought you like Jacky Cheung and Andy Lau?" 

"I like Andy, Jacky and Ekin Cheng. But Aaron makes Ryu looks like a wuss." 
"But that's how they draw him in the comics." 
"Comics is comics. But all he does in the movie was get beaten up by Ekin, pose and he gets about ten minutes or less of screen time. He's better off in Feng Yun (Stormriders)." 

"Can we rent Feng Yun too.I always like Feng Yun" Kumori chirped 
"I thought you don't like such movies." 
"One makes an exception now and then.." 
"Okay then." 
  

----------- 
  

Looking back at the Twisted Pair, 'ChunLi's forehead seemed to be wet with perspiration, her eyes were shifting left to right wildly. Something was bothering her and she didn't like it. That strange beckoning force which she felt when they first arrive was getting stronger and someone was probing around in her head. 
  

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!!" She screamed blasting the probing thought back to the originator with such force that there was a scream a little distance away in the bushes. 

"She here." Kumori said flatly. 

'ChunLi' dropped 'Ryu' unceremoniously on his face as she sprinted off into the bushes. There seem to be a little catfight within till 'ChunLi' came out dragging Rose out by the hair. 

"Haven't you got your nose into everything?" 'ChunLi' snarled 
"No…too late to stop the Nulling..." 
"What are you trying to pull since Day one?" 
"You don't understand what's going on." 
"Like hell I don't you're the one who is causing all this." 

"Er……" Iwa started 
"What?!" 
"Him." Kumori pointed at the fallen 'Ryu' 

"I'll deal with you later." She said to Rose and picked 'Ryu' up again. She noticed that there was a smug look on his face, which to a point seem to hint sarcasm. She shook him to see if he was awake but there was no other reaction. 
  

Kumori and Iwa pulled Rose aside. 
"What were you trying to pull? You should know better than to stop the Nulling." Kumori started. 
"It has to be done. Their dark side must be separated. They are still unaware of their destructive potential." 

"Wait aren't you the same person who wanted them to learn more about it?" Iwa asked 
"Not this way. Not both at the same time." 
"Too late now. Too late now. Just sit back and watch the show" Kumori's grin widen. 
"Are you going to try and seal it again?" Iwa asked 
"If I have to." 
"Then you have to face us." 

"???" 
"Big Chief said to let them go through with this. His priority is higher than yours." 
"Only if you two have what it takes to kill me." Rose said to the two young ladies and walk off. 
  

Kumori and Iwa looked at each other as they mulled over Rose's last sentence. A big wicked grin slowly grew upon their face. They both started to cackle with laughter. 
"You first or me?" Iwa asked her friend as they continued their path with half an hour of day light remaining. 
"Let me. I've being aching to whack her for a while. With this sudden change in her plans. Our deal was kinda nullified. Hee." 
"Remind me not to get on you bad side okay." 
  

-------- 
  

The group had finally reached the perimeters of the cottage as the last ray of sunlight faded away. The darkness of the area contrasted with the illumination upon the courtyard where Miyuki stood a little distance away. 

The source of the illumination was cause by a man and a creature as they stood in with their hands locked together in what seem like a test of strength. The creature was storm-blue in colour and it looked half human and half dragon. To a point it's face sort of resemble Iwa's. And it was taking back what belonged to it; otherwise the power could kill the man. 

The grey hair ponytailed man was only slightly taller than Ryu, he was wearing a black gi. The thing about this man was that he resembles Ryu twenty years down the road. Surrounding the duo was wispy strands of pure crackling energy, the passes from man to creature. 
  

'Ryu' now stirred and reared his head like a cobra ready to strike. Like 'ChunLi' the change was obvious in him as well. They both felt the tingling sensation of the raw energy, the enticing energy that was a raw seduction of delicious power. 

Such pure energy that was beyond their understanding. There was a feeling of closeness coming from the woman called Miyuki and the man called Sho. But that was overwhelm by the growing intensity of pure power. 

Miyuki gasped as she saw 'Ryu', the resemblance was uncanny but it was expected. The baby dragon that she had begged Zannah to take care of has now grown into a man. Feelings were mixed, as she had not hoped to meet her son under such circumstances. Now is definitely not a good time. For the slightest imbalance would cause serious injuries to parties involved. 
  

The Twisted Pair ignore the voice in their head telling them to resist the seduction of power. The raw energy seems to offer so much that the thought of possessing it seems to occupy their very minds. Nothing else seems to matter anymore. It was like that particular source of energy was theirs for the taking and that nothing else could stand in their way. The proximity to the wispy strands of energy had robbed them of all resistance. 

One thought goes through the minds of the Twisted Pair now. And that is the possession of such pure and raw power. And then the Twisted Pair made their moved knowing the rest can't afford to hurt them. 

"Oh boy." Iwa started. 
"Come On." Kumori added as they joined the fray to prevent the Twisted Pair from reaching their goal….. 
  
  

*The song 'Its a kind of magic' is copyrighted to Queen*