A/N: This story is set between the timeframe of (after)Ohachiyo and (before)Matamune, so I'll be using Hao's old name. That also means that he hasn't gone down the evil 'road' yet. I don't know whether I should put this as a oneshot or not, I'll just see how everything goes.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King.

Asaha Douji stared down at his reflection discontentedly. A year had passed since he had lost his friend in the name of vengeance and it was beginning to get to him. His guilt and responsibilities as an onmyoji-in-training weighed heavily upon his shoulders, the constant stream of thoughts crammed into his head, caused by the reishi, just adding to the strain.

That is why he had decided to take a break and wandered into the forest, not bothered by the lingering spirits that dwelled there. He had stumbled across a clear little stream then, running merrily along its narrow way over and around stones, making it sound rather like it was laughing. He watched birds come and go; dipping their heads to drink, then flick their wings and fly away. Delicate white flowers grew along the shore, its pretty head bobbing in the breeze, almost touching the water.

This little piece of paradise dappled in sunlight would have lifted the shadows from many a soul but Douji still felt cold and numb. The deep stillness in the forest made him lonelier than he ever felt in his life.

He was startled out of his dark thoughts when a bush from the other side rustled. Gathering his furyoku, he took on a defensive stance and waited with anticipation, his dark eyes focus and alert. Adrenaline got higher and higher as the sound got louder and louder until –

–a dark mass of shape fell from bushes and onto the ground. It took Douji a moment to realize that that dark mass of shape was not a spirit but a human and another moment longer to realize that the stranger was not getting up.

Waving his hand to dissipate his furyoku, he quickly tread across the stream and over to the fallen figure. He shook the stranger's shoulder gently at first, and then a little harder when there was no response. "Ano, daijoubu desu ka?" he asked worriedly.

The body twitched, and then shifted itself onto its back with a small moan of pain. "Itai…"

Eyelids scrunched up tightly before they opened, revealing twin pools of shining amethyst, its exotic colour entrancing Douji immediately. He took this time to study the owner of those eyes. He realized with a start that the stranger was actually a girl, her apparel oddly similar to that of an onmyoji-in-training. Black hair reached mid-length in layers, framing a pale rounded face which consisted of a pert, button nose, pink lips and curiously wide eyes which peered up at him inquisitively.

With a jolt, Douji reached out his hand, mentally berating himself for staring so blatantly. "Gomen, can you stand up?" he asked politely, his face betraying none of his embarrassment.

The girl stared at the outstretched hand, then to his and then back to his hand again. He began to grow impatient. "Nani ga? If you don't want to…"

"Iie, iie, that's not it," she hurriedly shook her head, took his hand and stood up. She had a low, melodious voice that held a peaceful, soothing quality. "It's just that…you're the first person who has ever held out their hand to help me."

"Eh, nande?" he asked. Surely the people in the village wouldn't go so far as to disrespect a miko or itako-in-training. Maybe… "Is it because you are an ascetic?"

The girl glanced at him from the corner of the eye as she stretched. "You can't tell?" She made a sweeping motion down over herself. "I'm training to be an onmyoji."

To say Douji was shocked would be an understatement, "NANI?! But…but…you're a girl! There's no such thing as a female onmyoji!"

"Then I'll be the first one in history." she said. She bit her bottom lip and looked away towards the running, clear current. "Is it…really that hard to accept a female becoming an onmyoji?"

Detecting the sad tone in her voice, Douji followed her gaze into the water. He had vowed not to judge others so quickly lest they suffered the same treatment given to him before and now here he was, already stating his skepticism against a female onmyoji. "I…gomen," he apologized with shame. "I was just startled, that's all. It's not everyday that you see a girl training to become an onmyoji."

The girl turned to him with a smile, "Then would you believe me if I did this?" She held out her hand and summoned some water and leaf shikigami at the same time with ease, "Or this?" She took out two pieces of fuda and threw it, the fuda turning into a swallow and a wolf, both disappearing as it reached the other side.

Douji watched the little display of power with wide eyes. Although he could do this as well, it was still impressive for someone other than him and just as young to be able to perform even half of such onmyodo techniques. He gave a small bow. "Forgive me for of my narrow-mindedness, I should have known better."

"Well," she started, looking thoughtful. "Okay, but on one condition…"

Douji looked at her warily. The girl gave a dazzling smile and pulled him up from his bow. "Let's be friends!" she said.

"Eh?" was the only reply he could give, his body tensed. She wanted to be friends with him? When no one, not even the other onmyouji trainees, would go near him? The only one who would was…

"Yup, we could train together, study together…and we could even play together if you want! It's boring with just Oji-sama teaching me. So what do you say? Would you be my first friend?" she said hopefully.

Her last statement struck a chord inside of Douji. He looked at her in wonder, "Your first friend?" he repeated.

The girl nodded. She then looked sheepish. "Oops, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Ayame. Kamori Ayame."

On that day, Asaha Douji made a new friend, by being the first friend of someone who was shunned for the same differences and abilities.

It was only later that he noticed that his reishi did not pick up a single thought since they met.

"So have they taught you the yin and yang techniques yet?"

"No, they still have me on divination and keeping track of the calendars." A scoff was heard, "The old coots just didn't want me to 'get ahead of my peers' because of my age. Fools, as if that would stop me,"

"Aw, I hate calander-making but I had to or Oji-sama won't teach me!"

"You're just bad at it."

"Hey, every onmyouji have their flaws! I'll have you know that I'm splendid in astronomy!"

Douji and Ayame were by the little stream again, sitting down for a rest after their training of pitting their shikigamis against each other for hours, testing their energy reserves. They were just talking about what they have studied so far when Douji decided to popped the question.

"Ne, Ayame, why do you want to become an onmyoji?"

The female brunette fell silent, an unreadable expression on her face. Douji waited patiently. She hugged her knees to her chest and spoke softly, "It's because Oji-sama wants me to."

He did not say anything so she continued, "You see, the Kamori family came from a long line of onmyoji since the 7th century. And every time, the first male in the family would be trained to become an onmyoji to serve in the Imperial Court. But during the civil war, the Kamori Family was massacred because we were thought to be working with the enemy. The only survivor to escape it was my great-grandfather and his pregnant wife.

"That is why it is so important to my family that we continue the legacy of our ancestors. You can imagine their disappointment when they got me and okaa-san couldn't bear any more heirs if she doesn't want to die. Oji-sama was the one who saw that I have an incredibly strong ability in spiritual magic and strength when my other relatives saw me as hopeless. He took me in and trained me, saying that if the legacy was going to go extinct, at least let it be remembered in the history books of its many honourable exploits to the Emperor."

Ayame paused to take a breath from relieving her family history. Douji took this chance to jump in. "Is that why your Oji-san wants to trained you in seclusion? He doesn't want anybody to see your abilities until you are capable of dominating the art of onmyodo?"

"Hai," she said, nodding. "I'm also not allowed to marry, since they don't want the Kamori blood to be…ah, 'tainted' by another clan."

"Ah…"

"Hey, Douji, why do you want to become an onmyoji?"

"…"

"Sou ka, I guess it's alright then."

"Wha –"

"So, what other shikigami you would like to summon? I bet I could also summon a tengu, or the Twelve Heavenly Generals! That would be so cool!"

"You're more likely to summon a tanuki."

"Hey!"

With that, they entered into a heavy debate on shikigamis, all talks of history pushed aside.

Douji was reading one late afternoon when he heard something. "Psst! Douji!"

He looked around slowly, confused, "Psst, Douji, over here! By the balcony!"

Feeling a little alarmed, he rushed over to the railing and looked down. Ayame waved up at him, oblivious of her precarious position as she smiled cheerily.

"Aya-chan, what are you doing here!? More importantly, how did you get up here!?" he cried out in panic, quickly reaching out to pull her up.

"Furyoku," she grunted out, falling with an 'oof' on the tatami mats. "Arigatou."

Douji glared, then reached out and whacked the back of her head. "Don't do that again! You could have been seen, or worse you could have fallen and died!"

"Itai…"

"Hmph, serve you right." Douji said unsympathetically. He turned around and was about to walked back in when he was embraced from behind; small arms wrapped around his waist and when he looked over his shoulder, all he could see was a head of black hair. "Aya-chan…?" he asked uncertainly, a blush threatening to spread across his cheeks.

"Gomen," she mumbled almost inaudibly into his clothes. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Douji sighed, and laid his hand on her head. "It's fine; just…don't do that again."

Ayame closed her eyes, a small smile on her face, "Hai, hai."

"Come on," he ushered her into his room. "I'll show you what we have learned, and the other day, those old coots –"

"Douji?" When dark eyes turned to meet amethyst, she smiled her dazzling smile, "Arigatou…for being my friend. You're the best one I've could ever asked for."

Douji's face burned many shades of red, his heart beating erratically. "A-Ah…y-you're welcome." He tugged her hand and led her in, all the while blushing at the constant contact.

Even so, he tightened his hold on the smaller, never wanting to let go.

When Douji arrived at their usual meeting ground, he knew that something was terribly wrong. He heard muffled sobbings and hastened his pace. He saw Ayame, and she was crying into her sleeves.

Ayame didn't look up as he sat down beside her, nor did she say a word. Douji felt a little helpless. He had never comforted anyone before. Hoping he was doing the right thing, he gathered the girl into his arms, patting her back as he whispered things like "It's alright." and "Just let it out" into her ears.

Soon, her sobs subsided but she didn't get up. Instead, she cuddled further into his embrace, relishing the warmth and safety that surrounded her. Dim amethysts that shone with tears stared off into space. "Douji…Oji-sama found out."

"Nani?" he asked, forgetting his embarrassment for a moment.

"Oji-sama found out that you were my friend, and said that I shouldn't see you again." she broke out into fresh tears, her words coming out in chokes.

Douji froze as a chill came down his spine. He tightened his embrace, burying his face into her shoulders. "Why? Why does this always happen? Just when I have a friend, they leave me, one way or another."

"Douji…"

"Aya-chan," He pulled back, a determined expression on his face. "Come with me to the Autumn Festival tonight."

"Eh!?" she exclaimed, perplexed.

"I-I want our last day to be filled with happiness, at least just for this one day. Onegai?"

Ayame stared, and then hurriedly wiped her tears away with her sleeve and nodded. "Un, I'll go! Just let me sneak back and change. Then I'll meet you at the bridge."

"It's a promise, then." Douji stated, holding out his pinkie. She nodded, linking their pinkies together.

Ayame then plucked a small white lily and with a look of concentration, wrapped it in a water sphere and froze it. She then gave it to Douji, looking serious, "And with this, I also promised to one day get stronger, so that we will meet again someday."

"Aya-chan…" he clenched his fist around the frozen blooming lily.

"I made it so that it would never melt. This is our promise to each other. Both of us will get stronger, and one day, somewhere, we will meet again..."

Ayame then surprised Hao by leaning forward, kissing him on the cheek. She pulled away quickly with a smile and a blush. "Ano, I better get going then. See you tonight!"

Douji watched as she disappeared into the bushes, his hand lingering on his cheek that she kissed, and slowly but surely, broke out into a smile.

But when night came, she wasn't there. Douji waited, and waited, and waited, watching passerby's and spirits come and go, enjoying the festivities.

Feeling uneasy, he summoned one of his oni and directed it to find the Kamori estate. When he found it, his heart went up into his throat. The estate looked desolate and abandoned, the double doors banging in the wind. When he went into the courtyard, there was only silence, everything swept clean as if sweeping away any evidence of anyone once living there.

Douji ran into the house with despair, his heart breaking into small little pieces as he called out for his friend only to hear his own echo and the whispers of spirits. Growing desperate, he stopped in front one of the rooms and slides the shoji door opened. He dashed into the empty room but paused when he stepped on something.

It was a necklace; a small amethyst stone with a star carved into it. It was Ayame's necklace.

They took her away…and they didn't even let us say goodbye.

Douji curled around himself and the necklace…and cried.