"HURRAY!" shouted Mai, as she experty made a move with Tasuki's Harrisen.
"Good work Mai, y'r getting the hang of this" said Tasuki, crossing his arms, he slightly grinned at her.
"Yay thanks to you!" exclaimed Mai, hugging tasuki around the waist. Tasuki looked down and patted her head. "Come on" he grabbed her arms and pulled her off, then smiled "We need to practice y'r posture"
"Alright!" she held the Harrisen to her chest, staring eagarly at Tasuki.
He chuckled "Dont be so eagar. Were not leaving just yet" He got beside her "now, show me y'r posture"
She held up the Harrisen and then swinged it "Like this?" Even though she was able to do a move on the harrisen her grip on his weapon was wrong.
"No no no" said Tasuki "Your posture is wrong!" he exclaimed moving behind her and placed his hands on one of her elbows and hand, trying to make her hold his weapon the right way.
"See you hold it like this" he said after correcting Mai's grip on his weapon. Mai's cheeks began to color at the feeling of his breath on her ear and his strong arms around her.
"Say the incantation and I'll lead you on the move" he said into Mai's ears, that made her heart beat wildly. Never had he held her like this and not even she hugged him this intemately, but she knew it was because he was showing her the move.
"Um ok..." said Mai nervously, not knowing if she'll be able to pull this off with him hugging her this way.
"Just concetrate Mai..." said Tasuki, sensing her worry and grinned a bit as he moved his arms upwards with Mai holding the harrisen.
"Rekka Shinen!" shouted Mai as he swung their arms forward and a burst of flames shot from the harrisen.
"Cool, I did it!" exclaimed Mai happily her eyes shining brightly as she watched the flames disappear, then gasped as she felt the arms around her tighten.
"Um T-Tasuki?" said Mai, turning to face him. His face was buried in the hallow of her neck and she could feel his breath.
"Oh no..." she thought, loosing herself in his embrace.
"Mai...I---" Tasuki was interrupted by a loud pop and Mai fell back.
"What the!" exclaimed Mai, landing on her behind and looked up to see Tasuki in his ghost form.
"Get off Nyan Nyan!" shouted a little girls voice. Mai turned and saw that she was sitting on top of one of Taitsukun's Nyan Nyan's.
"Oh I'm sorry!" exclaimed Mai getting off the Nyan Nyan.
"Hey why the hell am I a ghost again!" shouted Tasuki angrily at the Nyan Nyan.
"I have no more power" said the little Nyan Nyan, patting the dust away from her outfit.
"What!" said Mai who was still on the ground.
"If I have no power then I can't keep him in a human body" said the Nyan Nyan, looking at them with large aqua blue eyes. The knowledge of this suddenly sank in and all the air in her lungs rushed out as if she had been hit by a car.
"He's a ghost...He's not real...He's still..." Mai's eyes lowered to the ground and tears began to fall from her eyes at the realization.
"Then how the heck am I supposed to help Mai!" exclaimed Tasuki, outraged with this and didn't notice the tears that were flowing from Mai's eyes. Mai slowly got up and began to run off towards the palace, ignoring Tasuki's calls to her.
"Why am I so stupid! How can I forget he's dead! He's dead Mai! He's..." Mai couldn't bear it anymore, she sank to her knees in the middle of the palace corridors and began to sob uncontrolably. She didn't know why she was acting this ridicoulous, but it just felt like he was really gone and that even if she had his ghost by her side it wasn't enough for her. She recalled the feeling of his arms around her, just moments ago. The warmth of them, the powerful strength of them seemed so real and the feeling of his heart beat behind her made her truly believe that maybe she would finally get the man of her dreams.
"No stop kidding yourself Mai, you can never find him..." she thought sadly, then suddenly felt arms encircle around her. Thinking it was Tasuki she looked back and was shocked to find Boushin hugging her instead.
"What is distressing you Mai?" said Boushin, helping her up on her feet and wiped the tears away from her eyes.
"Your majesty, I'm sorry to worry you , I'm just..." Mai paused she didn't know what to tell him, but Boushin looked at her with knowing eyes.
"It's Tasuki isn't it..." said Boushin, his eyes turning cold at the sound of his rivals name. Mai didn't notice this for she looked away from him and tried to hide the fresh flow of tears.
"I-it's not his fault, I mean I'm so stupid to think I can ever have something with him, when he's not really..." Mai paused once more, not bearing to say the words herself. Boushin's eyes softened and he pulled her closer in her arms.
"Then why don't you forget him..." said Boushin, in her ear, though it didn't give her the same feeling she got when Tasuki did this.
"I can't! i don't think I ever will forget him..." she said. How can she? An amazing, funny, sexy, hot guy like him is someone she can never forget in her heart. There was no one like him, not in her world and now not in this world. Boushin placed his hand on her chin, making her look him in the eye.
"I can make you forget him Mai... My feelings for you have never failed...They've actually strengthen each and every time I see you..." he said, his thumb brushing lightly against her cheek.
"No...Never..." thought Mai, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him, not even when he was slowly lowering his head to kiss her. Mai didn't make a move or anything, for her body was forcing her to stay put, but her heart was crying out Tasuki's name.
"Boushin is real...Why can't I love him..." thought Mai, as she felt the tears roll on their own when suddenly she heard a familiar voice.
"There you are Mai! Chii saw something ama---" Mikame's voice stopped at the sight of Boushin and Mai.
"What is the matter Mikame?" asked Boushin releasing Mai and turned to Mikame. Mai didn't seem to notice anything anymore, and Mikame saw this. It almost reminded her of Miaka's reaction when she found out Tamahome turned evil.
"Um, Chii was by the Suzaku Shrine with Yamato when---" once again Mikame paused as she saw Mai's face perk up.
"What! What the hell were those two doing there alone!" exclaimed Mai, angrily. Mikame and Boushin smiled at Mai's quick recovery.
"They weren't alone I was there with them, but Chii saw the Suzaku Shrine doors open on their own and a gust of wind hit us, almost stumbling then we heard Taitsukun's voice calling for everyone to meet at the Shrine" said Mikame.
"Taitsukun appeared? This must be important! I have to go, gather everyone and meet me at the Suzaku Shrine" said Boushin, immediately left the two girls, forgetting what he asked of Mai.
"Why didn't you tell us sooner!' exclaimed Mai turning to Mikame. Mikame stared at her and crossed her arms.
"Well I was shocked to see you about to kiss the emperor. I thought you were saving your first kiss for Tasuki" said Mikame, raising an eyebrow in a questionable way. Mai began to blush furiously, then felt a pang in her heart again. She was in no mood to talk about this, she ahd to find the others and find take them to the shrine.
"Look it doesn't matter now, what matters is we have to get to the shrine and immedieately!" exclaimed Mai, then turned to look for Chichiri, He-Yan and Chuei.
"You and Ayuma look for both of your Warriors's, while I look for mine!" shouted Mai behind her back as she ran down the corridor and disappeared from sight. Mikame just stood there, wondering what made Mai upset...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"Chii!" yelled out Mikame, running into the shrine room with Shinta close behind "Has Taitsukun appeared yet?" said Mikame, out of breath
Chii shook her head "No, not yet, we have to wait for Mai and the rest i think" Ayuma runs into the room, with Zen and Kuro close behind, Hikitsu and Tomite were also turned into ghosts
"Dude! The 2 old guys turned into ghosts again! I was told to come here. Did i miss anything!" said Ayuma, out of breath.
"SORRY IM LATE!" Mai came running in, with, He-yan, Ghost Tasuki, Ghost Chichiri and Chuei dragging behind. Boushin was in the throne already.
"What took ya so long?" Said Mikame, walking up to Mai, she looks behind her "Why are you a ghost?" asked Mikame looking at tasuki and Chichiri.
"That's what I'm wonderin' myself? Guess i ain't the only one" said Tasuki looking at the other ghost warriors.
"Do you know why they're ghost Mai?' asked Mikame turning to Mai who had her head down, and her hands were clenched in fists.
"Who...Who...WHO ARE YOU?" shouted Mai, surprising everyone in the group.
"Um Mai, are you alright?" asked Ayuma, tugging on Mai's shirt sleeve. Mai blinked then looked at Ayuma.
"Do I know you?" said Mai, tilting her head.
"Alright Mai you don't need to tell us anything, just stop playing that game!" said Chii.
"Oh I know you! You're CHII!" exclaimed Mai, and hugged her. She looked to Mikame and Ayuma "...STRANGERS" The two girls turned away from her as a gust of wind began to swirl around them
"Your Eminences" said a voice and the doors swung open and Taitsukun appeared through the doors "I have news for you"
"Does this have to do with the Celestial Warriors turning into ghosts?" said Chii, with Ghost Subaru and Tokaki also behind her. Mai made a face, and turned away from the group. Surprisingly the strangers noticed this.
"Is Mai upset about Tasuki beign a ghost?" thought Mikame, as she noticed Mai looking nervous at Taitsukun
" You are correct Priestess of Byakko" said Taitsukun nodding at her in an approving way.
"Why are we ghosts again, No Dah?" asked Chichiri, floating towards her.
"Well the Nyan Nyan's energy wasted and made you become ghosts again however I have a solution" said Taitsukun waving a hand right in front of the Priestesses and four orbs appeared before them.
"More Nyan Nyans?" asked Ayuma, raising an eyebrow at the orbs.
"No, these are orbs that will allow the warriors remain in their human form longer than the Nyan Nyan's..." Mai's face perked up from this.
"Are you serious? Can it really keep them as humans forever!" asked Mai, hopefully, not noticing the grin her beloved was giving her.
"Well not forever, simply touch it and you'll see what will happen" said Taitsukun lowering the four orbs towards the girls. They each reached out to grab a orb and all of a sudden it began to glow.
"Wow!" exclaimed the Priestesses at the items that were in their hands.
"How pretty!" exclaimed Mai, looking at the necklace with a small ruby red pendant shaped as a rose.
"Is this real jewlery?" asked Mikame, placing her necklace with a lotus shaped pendant on her neck to see how it looked.
"What kind of flower is this!" asked Ayuma, looking at her necklace with a jasmine flower pendant.
"How can this help the warriors ghost's?" asked Chii, holding up her necklace with a lily pendant on it.
"Put them on and you'll see" said Taitsukun, smilingly. The girls looked at each other wondering if this will take a while to figure out, but they listened to what Taitsukun said and clasped their necklace around their neck though Mai needed help with hers. Once they all wore their necklaces the pendants began to glow and the ghosts began to glow as well.
"They're changing!' exclaimed Yamato as he noticed Subaru and Tokaki, land on their human feet and grinned.
"Cool we have our bodies again!" exclaimed Tomite who almost landed on poor Zen
"It was tedious, beign a ghost" said Subaru, tosing her wavy long silvery hair back.
"Yeah it's hard to check out cute girls, or maybe..." Tokaki recieved a slapped behind the head from Subaru.
"We can continue our trainin' now Mai" said Tasuki, kneeling beside her and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. Mai just looked at him and smiled at him.
"Now Priestesses these necklaces will keep your warrior ghost in their human forms however when you remove them they will return to their ghost forms in hours" said Taitsukun as a gust of wind began to blow again.
"The necklaces will be useful for you, take care of them and yourself Priestesses" said taitsukun and with that she disappeared.
"Great now that we have the ghost problem solved i wonder if Boushin knows when we'll leave! Do you know Mai? Mai?" asked Chii, looking at mai who was not listening. She was looking at her pendant with loving eyes.
"This is the thing that's keeping him human for now...He's human because of me..." thought Mai, and looked towards Tasuki who was talking to Chichiri.
"Without me you wouldn't be who you are..." Mai smiled sweetly at him. As Mai stared at tasuki she felt something heavy fall hit her back and she crashed down on the floor. She turned her head and saw Ayuma!
"Ayuma!" Mai stood up and tryed to help Ayuma up "He-Yan! Come over here quickly" Hearing this He-yan ran to Ayuma and checked her pulse, then put his hand to her head. Hearing the commotion Kuro quickly came to Ayuma's side "A-Ayuma!" stutterd Kuro, looking worriedly at her. "Is she ok!" said Chii and Mikame in unison.
"Her Pulse has slowed down and she has a fever and must be put in her roo--" He-yan's sentence was interupted by Kuro immediatly picking up Ayuma in his arms, He carried her out of the area
"...Kuro's so strong" thought all the girls, Mai shook her head to concentrate "Come on we have to go to Ayuma!"
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Her breath was short and she began to sweat "Ayuma..." whispered Kuro to himself, he knelt by her bedside. Even resting didnt help her. He-Yan and the rest entered the room "Is she alright!" exclaimed Mikame, He-Yan looked around the room, he picked a small wrapper off the nighttable. "..What is that?" asked Chii
He-yan took a whiff of it and began coughing. "Ku---" he coughed still "Kut---" He was interupted by his own coughs
"Ku! Kut! make up your mind what is it!" screamed Mai "Is that what made her sick!" He-Yan calmed his coughing and spoke "This wrapper has a scent of an poison herb"
"An Poison Herb? WHAT!" said Mai, shocked, she and the girls ran to Ayuma, Mai held her hand "Im sorry i called you a stranger!" tears streamed down her cheeks and turned to He-Yan "Can you heal her!"
"Strangely, this herb only grows in Kutou" He-Yan hung his head in shame "Im sorry, I cannot heal it, the antidote is only grown in Kutou" Chii and Mikame began to tear also, He-Yan looked back to them "She will die in a matter of days"
"AYUMA!"
(( I love doing this to you people. You know that right:D If you have ever read "Rose Priestess" from the author Hana no Miko, who is Mariela. You will know why each god pendent has a flower, please review! tell me your thoughts and stuff, i havent added any Kuro/Ayuma scenes, so i made this chapter end with Ayuma, and i know how all you guys like Ayuma. Thanks for readin, review lol))