Fate Worse than Death Ch. 1
By Elaine

Six months had past now. Six months of watching Sensei with his head bowed down, eyes infinitely troubled. Three months of waiting for her sister to come home, to tell them that everything was all right, that brother had come with her and they would be able to laugh and spar and do what normal brothers and sisters did. But no. Six months had past and there was still no sign of her sister. The young girl holding the tea tray choked back an involuntary tear and entered the room of her sensei, a large smile plastered on her face.

"Konbanwa, sensei!"

"Hai, Nanase...impeccable timing...as always..." Sensei Guy nodded, sad eyes peering at her through the gloom of his own mood.

"Hai, sensei. Thank you, sensei,"

"Stop calling me sensei, Nanase. It makes me feel so...old,"

"Hai, sensei. Sorry, sensei,"

Guy sighed and picked up his cup of tea, inhaling the gentle fumes and raising it slowly to his lips. Yet, he didn't seem to be able to drink the draught, as if something was stopping him, as if he needed to let something out first before he could indulge himself. "I'm so sorry," he put the cup back down. "Nanase, I...I tried so hard to find them but..." He choked and turned away.

"Sensei..." Nanase stood awkwardly to the side as she waited for her teacher to regained his composure.

"I know how hard it has been for you. Since Hokuto has gone...it's just been you doing everything for the dojo,"

"Oh, I don't mind sensei. It is a little harder to practice without her here, but I'm fine with it,"

"No," Guy said, bringing the tea cup to his lips once more, tantalizingly close... before setting it down again. "No, you're not... I know you Nanase, as well as I know this dojo. You have been my student for years now...I...I..." He closed his eyes for a moment, fighting back another onset of emotion. "I've known you, and Hokuto, and Kairi since you were that small," He motioned with his hand.

"I know, sensei. Are you enjoying you're tea?" She fiddled with the tassels of her uniform, trying to be patient. Sensei was acting...too... sentimental and it was making her feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Yes, very much," He raised the still filled cup, and put it down again "It's very... good,"

"Thank you, sensei. Will that be all?"

Guy laughed at this. "Oh, I wish it were, 'nase, I truly do...but I called you here for a different reason than just tea,"

"Sensei?"

"I wish...I wish I didn't have to bring you into all of this at such an early age but... but I really have no choice, I hope you can understand some day..."

"Of course, sensei,"

"I have had information on your brother and sister's whereabouts...for a month now,"

Nanase refused a sudden urge to shake her sensei, to demand why he hadn't told her sooner. Instead, she answered with an almost impassive, "Really, sensei? That's wonderful,"

Guy shook his head. "No, I..." He turned away, as if ashamed to look on her face anymore. "I never told you why Hokuto left, did I?"

"She went to find Kairi, who mysteriously went missing a year ago," Nanase said, trying to push down a small surge of uncertainty brooding in her stomach. "Th-that's what you told me and... well, it's true...right?"

"Part of it...is... That was her original mission. To find Kairi and bring him back to the dojo. But when she found him, she...she wrote me telling how much he had changed. He didn't remember her anymore. He had developed some sort of power alien to that of the Bushinryuu. He just... he just wasn't Kairi anymore. She believed that he had been infused with a certain psionic power,"

"Psionic?"

"I begged her to leave the mission then, I knew it was dangerous but..." Gen smiled, though the mirth didn't seem to reach his eyes. "You know Hokuto. She never quits. None of you ever know how to quit,"

"Sensei..."

"I'm afraid it's all my fault. I never thought that any of you would ever enter the tournaments, I was training you to be Bushinryuu warriors...not Street Fighters. And as a part of the Bushinryuu, you'd never need to learn how to lose. Or when to give up,"

"But Sensei..."

"Shhh," He put up his hand, silencing her. "About two months ago, Hokuto stopped writing to me. Only now have I figured out why..." He bowed his head. "She has joined Kairi, I can do no more for her,"

"What?" Nanase's eyes widened. "B-but...I mean...why?"

"She is lost, Nanase. She has also been infused. And I can not go and save her,"

"Sensei! You...you have to!"

"No. I cannot. And... I'm sorry, Nanase, but I can't tell you why right now..."

"I-I...but..." Nanase spluttered in confusion. "I-I can't let you do this, sensei. If you're not gonna find them, I will,"

"Nanase," he replied quietly. "I forbid you to go on this mission, it's futile and dangerous and you are to young,"

"I'm 16," She growled back.

"Kairi was 19 last year when he went missing, Hokuto was 17 when she left in search of him. And they have both succumbed to the psionic power,"

"I'll be different... I can do this sensei! I know I can!"

Guy shook his head and gently brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "Nanase, there will be no more discussion on this subject. Go to bed, it's late,"

"But-"

"Go," Guy led her out of the room, closing the door behind her. He could hear her quiet footsteps retreating, a broken sob drifting through the quiet night air.

"You are sure she will go?" A voice said from behind him.

"Yes, as I said, I know her as well as I know the back of my hand," Guy sighed, staring at the closed door forlornly.

"Mmm,"

"I wish I didn't have to do it this way. I wish I could tell her how much I want to support her,"

"Some fledglings must fly out of the nest themselves," the voice replied.

"Yes. yes, I know. It's just... I care for her so much... it's hard to let go,"

"Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't have to, Guy. But..." the voice chuckled sadly. "I suppose these aren't normal circumstances, are they?"

"No, Rose, they're not. Are the other ready?"

"Yes,"

"Then let's go. Before I change my mind about this,"

A flick of the wrist, a portal opening, and Guy disappeared from the dojo.