"We were hit bad in the bombardment, most of Japan looks as China's seaboard, but if she's in the registry, we'll find her."

The dropship continued on and was quickly cleared to a private landing field.

Waiting there was a man with bluish white hair, wearing a black and white kimono, a sword that radiated holy power humming at his side. The woman next to him wore the same attire, though her only adornment was the symbol of the Sacred Amaha family, something all Aradian's were trained to respect. Perhaps more interesting was the immense demonic power radiating fromher right wrist.

The Woman stepped forward and smiled. Welcome to Neo-Tokyo, I am Masane Amaha, custodian of Satoshi Heavy Industries while Captain Morisato is away." She had openly claimed Amaha blood.

The man next to her looked at her carefully then he smiled. "My, If it isn't little Sakura. So you've finally come home." Raisho Ishiyama was an old friend of her Fathers, one of the only full blooded Aradains that had remaine don Earth.

She was about to bow politely to the woman, after making note of the demonic force manifesting from her, something that made her wary of the woman, and had most of her attention concentrated on her. However, when she was distracted by the words from the the man, and she turned her gaze fully on him, then her eyes widened. "Uncle Raisho!" She was so happy to see someone she knew, she threw herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck.

Raisho hugged his "neice" and smiled. "So your father finally let you come home did he?"

He nodded. "Could have been a better time, though if it were much sooner you may not still have been here."

"Much has changed Sakura."

He looked to the others dismissing his Lieuteant and the others, save Masane.

"This is Sakura Sonja Terra, Child or the Seraph Teiren, and The demon hunter, Mikoto. Sakura, this is Lady Masane Amaha, last Female member of the Holy Clan, Bearer of the Witchblade, and Servant of Heir to the Royal Amaha bloodline, Kai Morisato."

He sighs. "I'd introduce you to him, but our little prince is off trying to stave off interstellar invasion." It was clear he wasn't happy with the situation, but he accepted it.

Masane laughs. "The way you say it Raisho, it's as though you don't think Kai has enough women around him." She wasn't happy per se, just amused at the absurdity.

I'm sure you have lots of questions, let's go somewhere more private, and We'll see if we can provide you answers."

The pair led her throught complex and to a secure room with a large bank of video screens on the walls. "Allright Sakura, ask away."

"Yes, my training period is over, actually, I'm an honorary member of the Sabaoth, at this point. Father says I'm already in the top percentle of Asrai warriors, with potential to become one of the greatest." She responded to his question about her father.

Then she winced, as she considered what she had just said. "Oh, I guess that sounded a bit prideful and arogant, neither of which I should give place to in my heart."

She shook her head slightly, and turned to look at Raisho and Masane. "You don't need to tell me, it's not good, is it? If mother was here, she'd be with you, which means she's gone.. isn't she?" A tear trailed down her cheek as she spoke her words.

"You are right to be proud of your heritage, you come from strong and righteous warriors, among the best of the best. Do not let pride rule you, and you will do fine.

Raisho looks somber. "Five hundred and Fifty people survived the Federation bpmbardment of Japan and China. Mikoto sadly was not one of them Sakura, I am sorry."

"Kai's fighting so that never happens again."

She gasped slightly, as the numbers came into stark reflection. "550 out of more then a billion people? Oh, Light have Mercy." In the light of that number, her grief at her mother's death seemed almost, inconsequential. It wasn't, of course, no death was an inconsequential thing, but it almost seemed that way.

Tears continued to fall down her cheeks, and she made no attempt to wipe them away, she simply wept, and let her tears fall. She said nothing at all, she simply reached out and grasped Raisho's hands, and continued to weep. She was not simply weeping for her mother, she was giving grief to the shear loss of life, giving her tears to the dead.

At the end of that moment, she closed her eyes, and she spoke quietly, but loud enough for them to hear her. "I am Sakura Sonja Terra, Daughter of the Seraph Tieran and the Demon Hunter Mikoto Terra. Honorary Warrior of the Saboath, Guardian of the Eternal Light, Child of Earth and Aradia. My mother was one of earth's defenders, with her soul now returned to the Eternal Light, I pledge myself to earth's defense in her stead."

Masane was the one who moved first, wrapping her arms around the younger warrior. Don't hold it in Sakura, let it out, there will be time later for you to defend Earth."

"You're here in the right place to do it, that's all we do here."

Raisho for his part just sat their holding her hands, saddened for her loss, and knowing there was worse news yet to be delivered.

Masane's compassion was her undoing, the control and composure she had been trying to establish, was lost. Instead she simply wept, making no further attempt to regain control over herself, she simply allowed her grief free reign for a time. How long, she didn't know, but finally she drew back, looking around for something to wipe her eyes dry, her vision blurred by tears.

"That's better. Now we can continuee this informal debriefing Sakura, or we can simply come back to it later."

Raisho looked to Masane to protest, but Witchblade stared daggers at him, even as she held the hands of the young angelic warrior.

"I can get you a place to shower and get cleaned up and rest if you want and we can have your clothing cleaned. I'm sure we've got something for you to wear for awhile."

It was hard to believe that the woman with such a maternal instinct was the bearer of the most powerful of all demonic weapons.

She considered the offer a moment, and she glanced at Masane for a instant, then she nodded. "If we have time, a shower and a bit of time to clean up would be very nice, but, if the matter is serious enough, I would like to hear it now." She paused. "As to clothing, anything is fine, the only thing I'm carrying now that I must keep with me is my blade."