Chapter 13: The Past

The next morning, Aiyana and the four Seminoa warriors continued on their journey to find Patch village. They traversed the forest and arrived at a vast desert land.

"How can we be sure which way to go?" Ian asked.

"Hmmmm," they all pondered, trying to decipher the correct route.

"Aya, can you tell me where the desert ends?" Aiyana asked her spirit.

"You're all shaman, right? If you don't know the way, you can follow me..."

Everyone turned around to the sound of the voice.

"... You ..."

"Ah, you are the Seminoa! Aiyana-san, was it?"

She nodded.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," he laughed. "I didn't think we would meet again so soon"

"Are you traveling to the Patch village as well?" Drysa asked.

"Yes, I'm also a Shaman Fight participant. I-"

"How are you acquainted with our Aiyana?" Nipaa interjected.

"Uh, it's really not an interesting story," Aiyana cut in. "Let's keep moving. We shouldn't waste time"

"Hmmm..."

But no one argued any further. So Yohken pointed them in the right direction and they continued on their way. After some time, the group split so that there was some distance between Yohken and Aiyana, who were leading, and the others, who trailed farther behind. By this time, the flat desert had progressed into a desert enveloped by hundreds of enormous canyons.

"Don't be so nervous," he turned to address her.

"...What do you mean?"

"You're anxious, as though you're expecting someone to attack at any moment..."

"I'm just worried... For my tribe members..."

She wasn't fully lying. She was worried Hao would target them. But, mostly, she just couldn't explain why she was so nervous. She didn't want him to hurt her comrades or kidnap her but... She didn't want to see any harm befall him either... Her emotions and fears were too scattered for her to make any sense of them.

"Is that all..?"

Before she could respond, a strong gust of wind swept across the desert, nearly knocking them over.

"Hmm, it appears a sandstorm is coming. We should seek shelter immediately. Come!" he grabbed her hand, but she resisted, looking back to see that her fellow tribe members were quite a far distance behind.

"They'll be fine," he pressed. "We don't have enough time to regroup with them now. We'll be caught in the storm"

The other Seminoas, however, also seemed to have noticed the impending storm, and were already seeking shelter in nearby caves. Satisfied and reassured that they were safe, she allowed Yohken to grab her arm and lead her into a nearby cave constructed in the midst of a canyon, just as the sandstorm's full impact hit.

"Thank you," she said, exhaling as she observed from inside the cave the brutal conditions outside.

The cave went very deep. The deeper they traveled, the less light penetrated through.

"Let's stop here," Yohken said as he made a fire.

She sat down, and he sat across from her, on the other side of the fire.

"Aiyana-san... I get a strange feeling... That you're different from the others..."

"..."

"From the others of your tribe... Why do you differ so pronouncedly?"

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

"I'm not sure how to describe it but... Your aura... It's different from the other Seminoas"

"... I wasn't born into the tribe"

"Ah, I see. Interesting... Perhaps that is also why your physical traits are also so singular..."

"Singular...?"

"Yes. Even though you have dark hair, your features are light. Your eyes, they're... Very beautiful," he gazed at her from across the fire.

"Thank you..."

'What... What is going on here..?'

"I'm surprised that such a young and beautiful girl like you is instructed to come on such a dangerous mission. The Chief of your tribe must really favour you..."

"No, he does not choose favourites. He is always impartial; in order to make decisions that will most benefit the tribe as a whole"

"But, if you are such a strong shaman, as Suni-san claims, why then are you not a participant in the Shaman Fight?"

"I abide by the will of our Chief"

"Are you really stronger than all the men of your tribe?"

"I-I don't know," she replied truthfully.

"Ah, I'm curious to witness this power of yours. Your primary spirit is..."

"Aya"

Aya came forth, in all her majestic glory.

"A nature spirit... And an old one at that... Perhaps from around the same time as my spirit"

"...Your spirit...?"

"That's right. You've never met... Matamune!"

Matamune appeared before her, in a much more evolved form than the simply cat she had remembered him to be.

"M-Matamune...?"

"Amaya-san," he said bowing. "It has been a while"

"Amaya-san...?"

"Yes. That is her real name"

"Matamune, I'm so surprised to see you here! And still serving the Asakura family...? You have evolved so much throughout the years..."

"... Matamune... You know each other?"

"Yes, for a very long time"

"How?"

"She is the wife of my first master"

"...Hao?"

He turned to her in flustered shock and disbelief. She sighed.

"Not his current wife... But, yes, we were married at one time..."

"H-How is that possible?"

"I always suspected he would bring you back, as well..." Matamune said slowly, observing her.

"Yes, but I don't see why. I won't help him accomplish his goal..." She drifted off.

The environment suddenly turned grave.

"We must... Stop him at all costs," Yohken said, visibly upset. "But, how do we know we can trust you?"

He suddenly pointed his sword at her, willing her to provide an explanation. She was alarmed for a moment.

"You don't," she finally said. "I can only try to prove my innocence"

"Yohken, she is not one of his followers," Matamune reassured.

"I know," he said, sighing and withdrawing his sword. "I'm sorry. I get heated when I think of Hao and his perverse intentions... So he resurrected you as well...? That explains his interest in you... But, for what purpose would he go through the trouble if you don't even side with him?"

She didn't reply, but simply sat down again in front of the fire.

"Hao-sama was... Very attached to her..." Matamune explained.

There was a silence.

"Matamune... What happened to...?"

"The child?"

"...Yes"

"She lived. It's because of her that the Asakura lineage was able to be carried on... She was raised well, and she lived happily..."

"I see... I'm glad, then..." she said sadly.

"Is something bothering you, Amaya-san?"

"...How was she able to be spared?"

"Hao-sama shielded her"

"And that is how they defeated him..?"

"Well, that is one of the reasons..."

He didn't elaborate, but she didn't need him to. She already knew. Hao had protected the baby because she had wanted him to. But, he had also protected her because he refused to let her die. And the moment he failed in reviving her was the moment he failed to find significance in that lifetime. .. He allowed himself to be defeated... And she was the reason. She didn't know what had come over her, but all of a sudden tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Aiyana-san..." Yohken said, looking at her, startled. He moved closer to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulder. Gently, he redirected her head to his chest and he held her in his arms as she shook uncontrollably, tears freely falling down her cheeks.

"Don't cry," he soothed.

But the tears continued to fall.

'I'm to blame... For everything. It's all my fault..That he...'

He softly rubbed her back as she cried until her silent sobs turned into saccadic sniffles and finally, exhausted by the exertion, she fell asleep with her head still on his chest. Yohken turned to Matamune for guidance, but he simply shrugged and turned away. In truth, Matamune was not pleased with the string of events that had just unfolded, but there was nothing he was entitled to say or do that would have allowed him to refute them.

'Hao-sama... Forgive me...'

Yohken gazed down at the sleeping form resting on his chest. Even though her eyes were closed, the area around them was puffy and swollen from crying. Nevertheless, she still truly was beautiful. In all aspects, she was near-flawless. Her skin was radiant and smooth, her eyes big and a mesmerizing golden-green, her mouth a perfect pout and her hair long, dark, wavy and shiny.

Matamune observed his new master as he gazed down at the girl. He'd seen that look before. There was something about her... Something that seemed to captivate anyone that got too close... Until it was too late to reverse the effects. She had the charm and looks of the young, spirited and strong-willed girl that she appeared to be, but she also had the wisdom and maturity of a soul far beyond the age of her appearance.

Yohken stroked her hair cautiously and Matamune was even further reminded of his first master. How could she affect them both so similarly? And, more importantly, how would this situation end? It seemed that, once again, she would be the pivotal and determining factor in the fight against Hao... What was it about this girl that enabled her to draw them both so easily in? Or, was it simply a reaction caused by the shared blood of ancestor and descendant; Hao's blood that flowed through Yohken's veins..? The answer was unclear. The only thing that was clear was that Hao would not at all be pleased...

A/N: Very Mary-Sue, I know. Sorry. I hate Mary-Sues but... If she caught Hao's attention, then she can't just be any ordinary girl, right? She's got to be something special or he wouldn't even bother. And... the Mary-Sueness all ties in later in the story, I swear!

Also, thanks to Koorinosekai, your reviews always make my day =)