Title: Trip Of a Lifetime
Author: Asa Date
Chapter Six: Meeting with the Past
Email: stratasgirl@hotmail.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard Disclaimer: The Ronins do not belong to me, though I deeply wish they did.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the table, everyone had sat down and were enjoying their meal.
"Mia and Kayura, just how do you two put up with these guys all the time?" Violet asked, a grin playing on her lips, "I wouldn't have the patience."
Mia smiled, "To tell the truth, I don't know. They kinda grow on you."
Sekhmet frowned, "I believe I speak for all the guys when I say, I do not appreciate being talked about where I can hear it." Anubis laughed and agreed.
Kayura playfully stuffed a roll in Sekhmet's mouth to shut him up, "You learn to ignore them. Heck, I've dated four of them." She then laughed, "And none of them are real good dating material."
Teasing, Anubis looked at her and said, "I'm shocked Kay. Why would you try to ruin our dating lives by telling every girl such a thing?"
Kayura smiled, "I have to deflate your egos every now and then you know."
"Which four Kayura?" Crystal asked.
"Anubis, Cale, Ryo, and Rowen." Kayura answered.
Cale smirked, "You're too hot to handle Kay."
Ryo burst out laughing, nearly choking on his food.
Kayura smiled at Cale, "We aren't sucking up, now are we?"
"Yes ma'am!" Cale replied, the smirk still on his face.
Dawn had to hit Ryo's back to keep him from choking.
When Ryo's laughs subsided, he said, "Too hot to handle? Whatever."
Violet smiled, "I want all the dirt on them later Kayura."
Kayura grinned, "You betcha!"
Kento wasn't paying a bit of attention to what was going on around him; he was too busy stuffing his face with the food Cye had prepared. Asa was being unusually quiet, and picking at her food.
"Not going to eat Asa?" Crystal asked.
Asa shook her head no and Kento asked with a mouth full of food, "Can I have it?"
Sage scowled, "Kento, you're such a pig."
Rowen, who was sitting beside Asa, gently nudged her knee with his. He whispered into her ear softly, "I don't know what all Anubis told you upstairs but just know that everything's gonna be alright, okay?" Asa nodded.
Rowen continued, "You can trust us, I swear."
"I trust you all completely, Rowen." She whispered back. Rowen smiled and kissed her cheek before turning his attention back to the table. Kento was pulling Asa's plate over to him. Rowen got it back and set it in front of Asa.
"Now eat, will ya?" Rowen asked Asa, "Don't want you to starve."
"I'm not really that hungry Rowen, honest."
Sage cast a worried glance over at Asa, "C'mon Lil' Lady Stardust. We gonna have to hold you down and force you to eat?"
It amazed Asa how friendly these people were. She just met them and they already feel like family. They let her and her friends stay here in this nice house with them, go out places with them, and eat here with them. Sage felt like a brother to her. He liked to tease her a lot but he could also be so sweet. There was something about Rowen that made her want him. He was a bookworm, sure. But there was another side to him wanting to burst out and show the spontaneous side that he hides so well. It showed for a while there at La Vela. She didn't know what to think of Kento other than he was the resident garbage disposal. She got the impression he'll eat anything he sees. Cye was adorable in that British way. Ryo kind of kept to himself, well around her anyway. Mia was a nice, but quiet, person. It really freaked her out how Anubis and her shared some sort of link in the past. Cale was very suave. Kayura seemed to be an energetic person. Dais and Sekhmet were just plain
annoying. She felt she'd probably think differently about those two knuckleheads later.
Just then the room started spinning and everything went black. Asa fell to the floor. She felt really cold. The voices of the concerned friends at the table sounded far off. Suddenly she found herself standing a few feet away from her body that was lying on the floor in the kitchen. Everyone was kneeling on the floor around her. Anubis was behind her and sat her up, leaning her up against him.
"Hey Stardust, can you hear me?" Violet asked.
Cye shook her arm lightly, "Asa wake up."
Sage checked for a pulse and sighed, looking relieved, "She's still got a pulse, she'll be okay."
Asa tried to tell them she was okay, put they couldn't hear her.
"What's wrong with her?" Dais asked, "Was that a seizure?"
Crystal shook her head, "She's never had one before. I think she just fainted."
Holding up her hand, she gasped. She could see right through her own hand. `Have I died?' she asked herself, `Am I a ghost?'
She heard someone chuckle behind her.
"No, Asa dear you haven't died. This is the only way I can speak to you."
Asa whirled around to see a mirror image of herself dressed in the traditional Japanese kimono. She gasped, "You look like me."
The person standing before her smiled, "My name is Ayeka. I sent you that dream."
Asa bite her lip, "Did that really happen?"
Ayeka nodded slightly, "Yes, Anubis was telling you the truth. About Kioten, about himself, about me, and about the destiny you have to fulfill."
"The armor?" Asa asked and Ayeka nodded.
"You must destroy Kioten. He is purely evil."
"How?" Asa asked, "I don't know what the heck to do."
"That's why I'm here with you right now dear," Ayeka began, "Your armor allows you to see into peoples dreams and communicate with the spirits of the deceased. It is similar to that of Strata's in the way that you both are warriors of the sky. You have to be careful and not use too much of your power. Only use it as a last resort."
"Why?" Asa asked.
"One blow could destroy an entire planet."
"That's why Kioten is after me like he was after you..."
Ayeka nodded, "The bearers of the nine mystical armors can aide you as well as your friends."
"What about my friends?"
"Crystal is the bearer of the armor of Hurricane. Dawn, of Sunlight. And Violet, of Purity."
"Wow." Asa said.
"Maybe we outta call an ambulance." Asa heard Sekhmet say.
"Well," Rowen said, "She's still got a pulse and she's breathing. Maybe she just passed out."
"About my power," Asa began, "how do I use it? And the communication thing and dream thing sound really neat. How do I do that?"
"Your power can be called forth by simply yelling out `Comet scream', a ball of light will form in the palm of your hands if you concentrate well enough and you throw it at your target. The ball of light can grow to a fairly large size and can be very harmful. Never fight in anger. As I said before, this attack could destroy a planet. Use it carefully. Dreamwalking is very simple. At night, when all is asleep, close your eyes and use your power to concentrate on the collective conscious. Dream orbs of those slumbering will appear and float around you. Each persons dream orb is very unique, with it's own color and sound. To view the dream, call the orb to you and peer inside. To enter the dream, expand the orb and walk through. Communication with the deceased is not hard. Just think of the one you'd like to speak to. There can be a downside to this."
"And what's that?" Asa asked.
"Sometimes those deceased will not leave you alone." Ayeka said, smirking slightly.
Asa looked behind her at her body and her friends and smiled, Anubis, Cale, Sage, and Kento were carrying her body to the den. They walked right through her and Ayeka on the way there. They gently laid her on the couch.
"You must get back to your body." Ayeka said, "Your friends are worried. And I had better return to my new world."
"Before you go Ayeka, Anubis said..."
Ayeka hushed her, "I know how he feels already Asa, he thinks that I thought he left me when Talpa got control of him. To tell the truth, I did for a time, until I died and found out the real truth. But you must go back to your body..."
"But..." Asa began, but before she could finish her sentence, Asa felt a blast of icy wind and she was back in her body. She opened her eyes slowly. Anubis held a wet rag to her forehead, and he brushed away the stray strands of hair that had fallen on her face.
Anubis saw her eyes open and replied, "Asa! Are you okay? We were so worried."
Asa nodded, "I'm fine. I just..."
"ASA!" her three best friends said, "Don't ever do that again!"
Asa started to sit up but Anubis gently pushed her back down on the couch, "You look kinda drained. Rest a minute."
"No, I'm fine Anubis...honest." Asa persisted.
"What happened?" Rowen asked.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Asa answered.
"Tell us!" Dawn exclaimed.
"In some way I don't know, my spirit left my body for a minute. I could see all of you but couldn't communicate with you. Anubis, I spoke to Ayeka."
Anubis's eyes widened, "Your joking..."
Asa shook her head, "No, she told me all about my armor and my power." Asa then looked at Violet, Crystal, and Dawn, "You three have a place in all this to you know."
"How?" Violet asked.
"You, Violet, possess the armor of Purity. Crystal, yours is Hurricane. And Dawn, you are Sunlight."
"I think you hit your head on the kitchen floor a little too hard." Dawn remarked.
"I swear I'm telling the truth." Asa said.
"I miss her." Anubis said.
Asa looked at Anubis, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You've gotta move on Anubis. She'd want you to."
"Hey, how about we all go bungee jumping today!" Ryo suggested.
Rowen groaned inwardly. That had to be the dumbest thing anyone could do. There's always a possibility someone could get killed.
"I'm in." Asa and Sage both said at the same time.
"Me too." said Dawn.
"Count me in." Crystal said.
Sekhmet, Violet, and Kayura wanted to go as well. Mia, Rowen, Dais, Anubis, Cye, Cale and Kento decided to just watch them do it.
Everyone split into two groups. Some crammed into Mia's jeep. The others in Kento's car. In Mia's jeep, Mia drove. Cale sat shot gun, with Rowen, Anubis, Dais, and Cye in the back. Violet sat in the front in Cale's lap. Asa sat on Anubis's lap, Crystal sat on Cye's lap. Kento drove his car with Sekhmet sitting in the front passenger seat. Sage, Ryo, Dawn, and Kayura were crammed in the back. There were many places in the city to bungee jump but they chose one called Bungee Mania that had three different ways to bungee jump. On one of them the rope was attaches to your ankle and you jumped from a high pole. In another you were slung in a circle, it wasn't really classified as bungee jumping but it was in that area. In another you and one other person were sling shot up into the air in a cage. This place, Bungee Mania, overlooked the Gulf of Mexico. The workers there even offered to film you bungee jumping. Everyone who was going to bungee had to sign a bunch of release forms
basically saying it would be their own faults if they died. Sage and Violet were joking around about the possibility of dying.
"If I died would you come to my funeral?" Violet asked Sage.
"Maybe, would you come to mine?" Sage asked.
"I don't know, than depends." Violet replied.
"Depends? Depends on what?" Sage asked.
"It depends on what you do to me before you die." Violet said.
Sage was grinning now, "And what would you want me to do?"
Violet smiled at him, "I think you know already."
"I sure as hell hope so." Sage replied. He pulled Violet to him slowly and kissed her. When they pulled apart after a few seconds, Violet smirked.
"What?" Sage asked. She replied with another kiss.
"That." Violet stated.
"I can't believe you guys want to do this." Rowen said.
"I can't believe it either." Mia replied.
Asa laughed, "It's a thrill. Defy death. That's why I do it."
"You've done it before?" Cale asked incredulously.
Asa nodded, "Yep, it's fun. Dawn has done it before too. Isn't that right Sunshine!"
"Hell yeah!" came Dawn's loud reply from a few feet away.
"What are you gonna do this year Dawn?" Asa asked.
"I'm doing the sling shot this year. Ryo's gonna do it with me too." Dawn answered.
"You're all crazy." Anubis stated.
Crystal laughed, "And darn proud of it."
Asa playfully whacked Anubis in the back of the head.
"If you weren't related to Ayeka I'd kill you for that." Anubis told Asa.
Asa grinned, "Then I'm glad I'm related to her. That way I can get away with more."
Anubis smiled at her, "We'll see about that. Hmm...you know, Ayeka was always very ticklish..."
Asa eyes widened, "You wouldn't!"
"I would." Anubis smirked before grabbing her most ticklish spots, her sides. Asa exploded in giggles.
Asa gasped, "Stop! That tickles!"
Sekhmet watched the two with interest, "You know, if I didn't know any better, you two...." . He couldn't finish his sentence because Kayura elbowed him hard in the gut.
"What?" Sekhmet asked Kayura, rubbing the spot where she had hit him.
"Don't butt into others businesses doofus." Kayura scolded.
"Doofus? Kayura, may I remind you how old you are. That word makes you sound like a kid." Sekhmet joked
"Oh shut up Snakey-chan." Kayura told Sekhmet, sticking out her tongue.
"Oh brother." Sekhmet said, sighing.
"You're not gonna jump Cye?" Crystal asked Cye.
"Nah." Cye replied, "I'd rather watch. I've had plenty of death defying moments already."
Rowen agreed with him, "Yeah, like last summer."
Cye laughed and looked at Dais. "Yeah, and Dais sure could kick some ass. That spot where he got me on my back is still sore."
Dais grinned, "Heh, and I can still kick your tail today Torrent."
"May I remind you who kicked who's tale last summer?" Cye remarked.
Rowen laughed at Cye's remark.
Dawn and Ryo did the slingshot first. Both of them were hollering the whole time. Dawn was dizzy and was walking through the exit later looking drunk. Sage jumped, then Violet. Kayura was next and the workers had to practically push her off the platform for her to jump. Crystal jumped without hesitation, as did Sekhmet. Asa wanted to do the slingshot but they wouldn't let her without someone else. Something about the required weight. No one who had already jumped really wanted to do it again, it cost too much.
"Mia? Cye? Dais? Rowen? Anubis? Cale? Kento? Wanna do this with me? Please?" Asa begged.
Mia, Dais, Kento, and Cye were quick to recline. Rowen was terrified of jumping but he didn't dare open his mouth, she'd do that pouty face of hers probably.
Asa sighed, "I guess I'll just jump then."
"Nah, hey I'll do this with ya." Anubis said, hating to see her disappointed. Asa responded by hugging Anubis.
"Thank you thank you thank you!" Asa exclaimed. The ride was over as quickly as it had begun. Only slightly disoriented from the slingshot, Asa was grinning.
"I want to do that again." Asa said, "But not now. Some other time maybe."
"What do ya'll wanna do next?" Violet asked.
"It's hot out here. I suggest we go swimming." Cye said.
"Let's eat." Kento replied.
"How about shopping?" Crystal asked.
After much debate, it was decided that Sekhmet, Crystal, Rowen, Anubis, Kayura, Sage, and Asa would go shopping and the rest would hang out at the house and swim in the pool in the backyard if they wanted. The mall was only a few blocks away so they decided to walk there. The air conditioning hit them full blast as they stepped into the main section of the mall. It was a relief from the intense heat outside. Sekhmet spotted a sporting goods store to their left and went in to buy a hat. He didn't care what kind of hat, just something to keep the sun out of his eyes. Kayura had gone into the store with him.
"What about this hat?" Kayura asked, holding up an Arizona Diamondbacks cap up.
Sekhmet smirked, seeing the snake on the front of the hat, "Alright."
The purchase was made and they quickly joined everyone outside of the store.
"Oooh!" Asa exclaimed, "A photo booth! Let's get a picture taken of all of us!"
Crystal winced, "We can't all fit in there!"
"We can try though!" Asa replied.
Sage playfully knocked on Asa's head, "Yoohoo! Anyone home in there?"
"There's only seven of us." Asa said, "Guys sit and us girls sit in your laps. It's that easy."
"That booth will only sit two people." Rowen stated.
"I know that Einstein!" Asa replied, Sage snickered at that comment, "But let's at least try!"
Asa dragged them all over to the photo booth, "Guys in first!" she instructed.
Sage picked up Asa, "Not now Stardust." Asa whacked him on his head.
"Lemme down." Asa told Sage. He did eventually.
Rowen spotted a book story and went straight in, Sage followed.
"I don't know what book Rowen is after but I bet you Sage is looking for Playboy." Kayura remarked.
"Ewwww!" said both Crystal and Asa.
"Hmmm.....maybe I'd better help him look." Said Anubis, slipping into the store.
"Oh brother." Crystal said, rolling her eyes, "Aren't you going to join them in their Quest for Playboy Sekhmet?"
Sekhmet laughed nervously, "I wasn't going to but heck I'm going." Kayura grabbed the back of his shirt.
"No Snakey-chan. Your gonna wait with us!" Kayura said, smiling. Sekhmet groaned.
Minutes later, a very happy Sage and Anubis walked out of the store, each with a bag in their hands. Rowen came out later with a bag with many contents. Kayura peeked into Anubis's bag.
"Disgusting!" Kayura exclaimed, "You are sick! I suppose you got the same magazine as Anubis did Sage..." Sage nodded.
"What'd you get Rowen?" Asa asked.
"Bunch of stuff." Rowen answered.
"Like what?" Asa asked.
"Stuff." Rowen answered again. Asa got frustrated and grabbed his bag to look in it since he wouldn't tell her its contents.
"Give that back!" Rowen demanded but Asa had already dumped the contents down on the floor.
"Hmmm...book on Astronomy, Trigonometry book, a few magazines...." Asa looked up at Rowen and smiled, "Well, looks like Rowen got himself one too Kayura." Rowen blushed.
"I wanna go get one too!" Sekhmet whined.
Kayura grinned slyly, "Hmmm...the guys got them something, now it's our turn!" she linked arms with Asa on one side, Crystal on the other, and walked through the mall, The guys at their heels.
"What're you talking about `your turn'?" Sekhmet asked.
"Our turn to buy something." Asa answered. They stopped in front of Victoria's Secret.
"Oh. Dear. God." Said Rowen, "You're not gonna..."
"Ladies, lets go!" Kayura said, grabbing both Anubis and Sekhmet, dragging them into the store. Crystal needed not drag Sage; he came in on his own...a pile of drool forming at the corner of his mouth. Rowen was a challenge. He refused to go in.
"I'm more decent than those three...I'd rather not go in." he told Asa.
"Too bad," Asa replied smirking, "You're coming anyway." She pulled him inside the store.
A saleswoman walked up to the group. "Can I help you with anything?" she asked.
"No, we're just looking." Kayura answered, who was digging through a pile of silk panties trying to find a few she liked, smirking at Sekhmet and Anubis who were looking over her shoulder.
"That green one looks good." Sekhmet commented, "Model it for me...please?"
Kayura rolled her eyes, "Never for you Snakey-chan."
"How about me?" Anubis asked. Kayura whacked both of them on the head. Asa and Crystal didn't want to buy anything from there right now and just waited for Kayura to make her purchases. They amused themselves by watching Sage go ga-ga over the items in the store.
Sage wandered over to them later, "Hey, why do you girls buy this stuff anyway? It comes right off a second later anyway." That comment prompted a whack on the shoulder from both Crystal and Asa.
"Ow!" Sage said, rubbing his sore shoulders, "What'd I say wrong?"
Asa quickly walked over to a Kodak store, bought a disposable camera, and returned to Victoria's Secret. She instructed Sage to hold up a pair of panties. Happily he did and she snapped a picture of him holding it. She snapped a picture of Kayura, Sekhmet, and Anubis over at the check out counter. Also, she took a picture of Crystal and Rowen. Crystal was smiling and Rowen looked sick to his stomach, blushing like crazy.
"You know Rowen." Asa said, "You look cute when you blush." That caused him to blush more.
~Meanwhile at the house~
Dawn, Violet, and Mia were sunning by the pool when all of a sudden Kento jumped into the pool shouting `Cannon Ball!' and water splashed all over them. As soon as he surfaced, Violet yelled at him.
"Why'd you do that?" Violet asked, "You could have done that on the other side of the pool without splashing us!"
Kento shrugged, "Maybe I felt like it."
Cale walked over to the lounge chair Violet was sitting in and picked her up.
"What are you doing?" Violet screeched. Cale tossed her into the pool and then dove in. Once they had both surfaced she began sputtering curses at him.
"Now I'm soaked!" Violet complained.
"You would've gotten wet anyway by those cannon balls of Kento's." Cale pointed out. He stepped out of the pool and held his hand out to Violet, "Lemme help you up."
"You won't throw me in again?" Violet asked.
"No." Cale answered. Violet held her hands out to him and he took them and pulled her up out of the water. She accidentally bumped into him.
"Sorry." Violet mumbled.
"Don't worry `bout it. Let me get you a towel." Cale said, before slipping into the house to retrieve a beach towel for her. Cye dove in without a single splash. Dais did a back flip off the diving board. Ryo was swimming laps from one end of the pool to the other. He stopped for a second and looked at Dawn.
"Want to come in?" Ryo asked her, "The water feels good."
Dawn sat up and smiled, "Sure." She gingerly stepped into the pool. Ryo laughed at her.
"What?" Dawn asked.
"Oh...nothing." Ryo replied.
"Tell me." Dawn said.
"Nah." Ryo answered.
Dawn groaned and splashed water in his face.
Cale came back outside with a towel for Violet moments later, he came up behind her and wrapped the towel around her.
"Thanks." Violet replied.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oy....well, here's chapter 6. Feedback wanted! I...............need...................caffeine!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: Asa Date
Chapter Six: Meeting with the Past
Email: stratasgirl@hotmail.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard Disclaimer: The Ronins do not belong to me, though I deeply wish they did.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the table, everyone had sat down and were enjoying their meal.
"Mia and Kayura, just how do you two put up with these guys all the time?" Violet asked, a grin playing on her lips, "I wouldn't have the patience."
Mia smiled, "To tell the truth, I don't know. They kinda grow on you."
Sekhmet frowned, "I believe I speak for all the guys when I say, I do not appreciate being talked about where I can hear it." Anubis laughed and agreed.
Kayura playfully stuffed a roll in Sekhmet's mouth to shut him up, "You learn to ignore them. Heck, I've dated four of them." She then laughed, "And none of them are real good dating material."
Teasing, Anubis looked at her and said, "I'm shocked Kay. Why would you try to ruin our dating lives by telling every girl such a thing?"
Kayura smiled, "I have to deflate your egos every now and then you know."
"Which four Kayura?" Crystal asked.
"Anubis, Cale, Ryo, and Rowen." Kayura answered.
Cale smirked, "You're too hot to handle Kay."
Ryo burst out laughing, nearly choking on his food.
Kayura smiled at Cale, "We aren't sucking up, now are we?"
"Yes ma'am!" Cale replied, the smirk still on his face.
Dawn had to hit Ryo's back to keep him from choking.
When Ryo's laughs subsided, he said, "Too hot to handle? Whatever."
Violet smiled, "I want all the dirt on them later Kayura."
Kayura grinned, "You betcha!"
Kento wasn't paying a bit of attention to what was going on around him; he was too busy stuffing his face with the food Cye had prepared. Asa was being unusually quiet, and picking at her food.
"Not going to eat Asa?" Crystal asked.
Asa shook her head no and Kento asked with a mouth full of food, "Can I have it?"
Sage scowled, "Kento, you're such a pig."
Rowen, who was sitting beside Asa, gently nudged her knee with his. He whispered into her ear softly, "I don't know what all Anubis told you upstairs but just know that everything's gonna be alright, okay?" Asa nodded.
Rowen continued, "You can trust us, I swear."
"I trust you all completely, Rowen." She whispered back. Rowen smiled and kissed her cheek before turning his attention back to the table. Kento was pulling Asa's plate over to him. Rowen got it back and set it in front of Asa.
"Now eat, will ya?" Rowen asked Asa, "Don't want you to starve."
"I'm not really that hungry Rowen, honest."
Sage cast a worried glance over at Asa, "C'mon Lil' Lady Stardust. We gonna have to hold you down and force you to eat?"
It amazed Asa how friendly these people were. She just met them and they already feel like family. They let her and her friends stay here in this nice house with them, go out places with them, and eat here with them. Sage felt like a brother to her. He liked to tease her a lot but he could also be so sweet. There was something about Rowen that made her want him. He was a bookworm, sure. But there was another side to him wanting to burst out and show the spontaneous side that he hides so well. It showed for a while there at La Vela. She didn't know what to think of Kento other than he was the resident garbage disposal. She got the impression he'll eat anything he sees. Cye was adorable in that British way. Ryo kind of kept to himself, well around her anyway. Mia was a nice, but quiet, person. It really freaked her out how Anubis and her shared some sort of link in the past. Cale was very suave. Kayura seemed to be an energetic person. Dais and Sekhmet were just plain
annoying. She felt she'd probably think differently about those two knuckleheads later.
Just then the room started spinning and everything went black. Asa fell to the floor. She felt really cold. The voices of the concerned friends at the table sounded far off. Suddenly she found herself standing a few feet away from her body that was lying on the floor in the kitchen. Everyone was kneeling on the floor around her. Anubis was behind her and sat her up, leaning her up against him.
"Hey Stardust, can you hear me?" Violet asked.
Cye shook her arm lightly, "Asa wake up."
Sage checked for a pulse and sighed, looking relieved, "She's still got a pulse, she'll be okay."
Asa tried to tell them she was okay, put they couldn't hear her.
"What's wrong with her?" Dais asked, "Was that a seizure?"
Crystal shook her head, "She's never had one before. I think she just fainted."
Holding up her hand, she gasped. She could see right through her own hand. `Have I died?' she asked herself, `Am I a ghost?'
She heard someone chuckle behind her.
"No, Asa dear you haven't died. This is the only way I can speak to you."
Asa whirled around to see a mirror image of herself dressed in the traditional Japanese kimono. She gasped, "You look like me."
The person standing before her smiled, "My name is Ayeka. I sent you that dream."
Asa bite her lip, "Did that really happen?"
Ayeka nodded slightly, "Yes, Anubis was telling you the truth. About Kioten, about himself, about me, and about the destiny you have to fulfill."
"The armor?" Asa asked and Ayeka nodded.
"You must destroy Kioten. He is purely evil."
"How?" Asa asked, "I don't know what the heck to do."
"That's why I'm here with you right now dear," Ayeka began, "Your armor allows you to see into peoples dreams and communicate with the spirits of the deceased. It is similar to that of Strata's in the way that you both are warriors of the sky. You have to be careful and not use too much of your power. Only use it as a last resort."
"Why?" Asa asked.
"One blow could destroy an entire planet."
"That's why Kioten is after me like he was after you..."
Ayeka nodded, "The bearers of the nine mystical armors can aide you as well as your friends."
"What about my friends?"
"Crystal is the bearer of the armor of Hurricane. Dawn, of Sunlight. And Violet, of Purity."
"Wow." Asa said.
"Maybe we outta call an ambulance." Asa heard Sekhmet say.
"Well," Rowen said, "She's still got a pulse and she's breathing. Maybe she just passed out."
"About my power," Asa began, "how do I use it? And the communication thing and dream thing sound really neat. How do I do that?"
"Your power can be called forth by simply yelling out `Comet scream', a ball of light will form in the palm of your hands if you concentrate well enough and you throw it at your target. The ball of light can grow to a fairly large size and can be very harmful. Never fight in anger. As I said before, this attack could destroy a planet. Use it carefully. Dreamwalking is very simple. At night, when all is asleep, close your eyes and use your power to concentrate on the collective conscious. Dream orbs of those slumbering will appear and float around you. Each persons dream orb is very unique, with it's own color and sound. To view the dream, call the orb to you and peer inside. To enter the dream, expand the orb and walk through. Communication with the deceased is not hard. Just think of the one you'd like to speak to. There can be a downside to this."
"And what's that?" Asa asked.
"Sometimes those deceased will not leave you alone." Ayeka said, smirking slightly.
Asa looked behind her at her body and her friends and smiled, Anubis, Cale, Sage, and Kento were carrying her body to the den. They walked right through her and Ayeka on the way there. They gently laid her on the couch.
"You must get back to your body." Ayeka said, "Your friends are worried. And I had better return to my new world."
"Before you go Ayeka, Anubis said..."
Ayeka hushed her, "I know how he feels already Asa, he thinks that I thought he left me when Talpa got control of him. To tell the truth, I did for a time, until I died and found out the real truth. But you must go back to your body..."
"But..." Asa began, but before she could finish her sentence, Asa felt a blast of icy wind and she was back in her body. She opened her eyes slowly. Anubis held a wet rag to her forehead, and he brushed away the stray strands of hair that had fallen on her face.
Anubis saw her eyes open and replied, "Asa! Are you okay? We were so worried."
Asa nodded, "I'm fine. I just..."
"ASA!" her three best friends said, "Don't ever do that again!"
Asa started to sit up but Anubis gently pushed her back down on the couch, "You look kinda drained. Rest a minute."
"No, I'm fine Anubis...honest." Asa persisted.
"What happened?" Rowen asked.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Asa answered.
"Tell us!" Dawn exclaimed.
"In some way I don't know, my spirit left my body for a minute. I could see all of you but couldn't communicate with you. Anubis, I spoke to Ayeka."
Anubis's eyes widened, "Your joking..."
Asa shook her head, "No, she told me all about my armor and my power." Asa then looked at Violet, Crystal, and Dawn, "You three have a place in all this to you know."
"How?" Violet asked.
"You, Violet, possess the armor of Purity. Crystal, yours is Hurricane. And Dawn, you are Sunlight."
"I think you hit your head on the kitchen floor a little too hard." Dawn remarked.
"I swear I'm telling the truth." Asa said.
"I miss her." Anubis said.
Asa looked at Anubis, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You've gotta move on Anubis. She'd want you to."
"Hey, how about we all go bungee jumping today!" Ryo suggested.
Rowen groaned inwardly. That had to be the dumbest thing anyone could do. There's always a possibility someone could get killed.
"I'm in." Asa and Sage both said at the same time.
"Me too." said Dawn.
"Count me in." Crystal said.
Sekhmet, Violet, and Kayura wanted to go as well. Mia, Rowen, Dais, Anubis, Cye, Cale and Kento decided to just watch them do it.
Everyone split into two groups. Some crammed into Mia's jeep. The others in Kento's car. In Mia's jeep, Mia drove. Cale sat shot gun, with Rowen, Anubis, Dais, and Cye in the back. Violet sat in the front in Cale's lap. Asa sat on Anubis's lap, Crystal sat on Cye's lap. Kento drove his car with Sekhmet sitting in the front passenger seat. Sage, Ryo, Dawn, and Kayura were crammed in the back. There were many places in the city to bungee jump but they chose one called Bungee Mania that had three different ways to bungee jump. On one of them the rope was attaches to your ankle and you jumped from a high pole. In another you were slung in a circle, it wasn't really classified as bungee jumping but it was in that area. In another you and one other person were sling shot up into the air in a cage. This place, Bungee Mania, overlooked the Gulf of Mexico. The workers there even offered to film you bungee jumping. Everyone who was going to bungee had to sign a bunch of release forms
basically saying it would be their own faults if they died. Sage and Violet were joking around about the possibility of dying.
"If I died would you come to my funeral?" Violet asked Sage.
"Maybe, would you come to mine?" Sage asked.
"I don't know, than depends." Violet replied.
"Depends? Depends on what?" Sage asked.
"It depends on what you do to me before you die." Violet said.
Sage was grinning now, "And what would you want me to do?"
Violet smiled at him, "I think you know already."
"I sure as hell hope so." Sage replied. He pulled Violet to him slowly and kissed her. When they pulled apart after a few seconds, Violet smirked.
"What?" Sage asked. She replied with another kiss.
"That." Violet stated.
"I can't believe you guys want to do this." Rowen said.
"I can't believe it either." Mia replied.
Asa laughed, "It's a thrill. Defy death. That's why I do it."
"You've done it before?" Cale asked incredulously.
Asa nodded, "Yep, it's fun. Dawn has done it before too. Isn't that right Sunshine!"
"Hell yeah!" came Dawn's loud reply from a few feet away.
"What are you gonna do this year Dawn?" Asa asked.
"I'm doing the sling shot this year. Ryo's gonna do it with me too." Dawn answered.
"You're all crazy." Anubis stated.
Crystal laughed, "And darn proud of it."
Asa playfully whacked Anubis in the back of the head.
"If you weren't related to Ayeka I'd kill you for that." Anubis told Asa.
Asa grinned, "Then I'm glad I'm related to her. That way I can get away with more."
Anubis smiled at her, "We'll see about that. Hmm...you know, Ayeka was always very ticklish..."
Asa eyes widened, "You wouldn't!"
"I would." Anubis smirked before grabbing her most ticklish spots, her sides. Asa exploded in giggles.
Asa gasped, "Stop! That tickles!"
Sekhmet watched the two with interest, "You know, if I didn't know any better, you two...." . He couldn't finish his sentence because Kayura elbowed him hard in the gut.
"What?" Sekhmet asked Kayura, rubbing the spot where she had hit him.
"Don't butt into others businesses doofus." Kayura scolded.
"Doofus? Kayura, may I remind you how old you are. That word makes you sound like a kid." Sekhmet joked
"Oh shut up Snakey-chan." Kayura told Sekhmet, sticking out her tongue.
"Oh brother." Sekhmet said, sighing.
"You're not gonna jump Cye?" Crystal asked Cye.
"Nah." Cye replied, "I'd rather watch. I've had plenty of death defying moments already."
Rowen agreed with him, "Yeah, like last summer."
Cye laughed and looked at Dais. "Yeah, and Dais sure could kick some ass. That spot where he got me on my back is still sore."
Dais grinned, "Heh, and I can still kick your tail today Torrent."
"May I remind you who kicked who's tale last summer?" Cye remarked.
Rowen laughed at Cye's remark.
Dawn and Ryo did the slingshot first. Both of them were hollering the whole time. Dawn was dizzy and was walking through the exit later looking drunk. Sage jumped, then Violet. Kayura was next and the workers had to practically push her off the platform for her to jump. Crystal jumped without hesitation, as did Sekhmet. Asa wanted to do the slingshot but they wouldn't let her without someone else. Something about the required weight. No one who had already jumped really wanted to do it again, it cost too much.
"Mia? Cye? Dais? Rowen? Anubis? Cale? Kento? Wanna do this with me? Please?" Asa begged.
Mia, Dais, Kento, and Cye were quick to recline. Rowen was terrified of jumping but he didn't dare open his mouth, she'd do that pouty face of hers probably.
Asa sighed, "I guess I'll just jump then."
"Nah, hey I'll do this with ya." Anubis said, hating to see her disappointed. Asa responded by hugging Anubis.
"Thank you thank you thank you!" Asa exclaimed. The ride was over as quickly as it had begun. Only slightly disoriented from the slingshot, Asa was grinning.
"I want to do that again." Asa said, "But not now. Some other time maybe."
"What do ya'll wanna do next?" Violet asked.
"It's hot out here. I suggest we go swimming." Cye said.
"Let's eat." Kento replied.
"How about shopping?" Crystal asked.
After much debate, it was decided that Sekhmet, Crystal, Rowen, Anubis, Kayura, Sage, and Asa would go shopping and the rest would hang out at the house and swim in the pool in the backyard if they wanted. The mall was only a few blocks away so they decided to walk there. The air conditioning hit them full blast as they stepped into the main section of the mall. It was a relief from the intense heat outside. Sekhmet spotted a sporting goods store to their left and went in to buy a hat. He didn't care what kind of hat, just something to keep the sun out of his eyes. Kayura had gone into the store with him.
"What about this hat?" Kayura asked, holding up an Arizona Diamondbacks cap up.
Sekhmet smirked, seeing the snake on the front of the hat, "Alright."
The purchase was made and they quickly joined everyone outside of the store.
"Oooh!" Asa exclaimed, "A photo booth! Let's get a picture taken of all of us!"
Crystal winced, "We can't all fit in there!"
"We can try though!" Asa replied.
Sage playfully knocked on Asa's head, "Yoohoo! Anyone home in there?"
"There's only seven of us." Asa said, "Guys sit and us girls sit in your laps. It's that easy."
"That booth will only sit two people." Rowen stated.
"I know that Einstein!" Asa replied, Sage snickered at that comment, "But let's at least try!"
Asa dragged them all over to the photo booth, "Guys in first!" she instructed.
Sage picked up Asa, "Not now Stardust." Asa whacked him on his head.
"Lemme down." Asa told Sage. He did eventually.
Rowen spotted a book story and went straight in, Sage followed.
"I don't know what book Rowen is after but I bet you Sage is looking for Playboy." Kayura remarked.
"Ewwww!" said both Crystal and Asa.
"Hmmm.....maybe I'd better help him look." Said Anubis, slipping into the store.
"Oh brother." Crystal said, rolling her eyes, "Aren't you going to join them in their Quest for Playboy Sekhmet?"
Sekhmet laughed nervously, "I wasn't going to but heck I'm going." Kayura grabbed the back of his shirt.
"No Snakey-chan. Your gonna wait with us!" Kayura said, smiling. Sekhmet groaned.
Minutes later, a very happy Sage and Anubis walked out of the store, each with a bag in their hands. Rowen came out later with a bag with many contents. Kayura peeked into Anubis's bag.
"Disgusting!" Kayura exclaimed, "You are sick! I suppose you got the same magazine as Anubis did Sage..." Sage nodded.
"What'd you get Rowen?" Asa asked.
"Bunch of stuff." Rowen answered.
"Like what?" Asa asked.
"Stuff." Rowen answered again. Asa got frustrated and grabbed his bag to look in it since he wouldn't tell her its contents.
"Give that back!" Rowen demanded but Asa had already dumped the contents down on the floor.
"Hmmm...book on Astronomy, Trigonometry book, a few magazines...." Asa looked up at Rowen and smiled, "Well, looks like Rowen got himself one too Kayura." Rowen blushed.
"I wanna go get one too!" Sekhmet whined.
Kayura grinned slyly, "Hmmm...the guys got them something, now it's our turn!" she linked arms with Asa on one side, Crystal on the other, and walked through the mall, The guys at their heels.
"What're you talking about `your turn'?" Sekhmet asked.
"Our turn to buy something." Asa answered. They stopped in front of Victoria's Secret.
"Oh. Dear. God." Said Rowen, "You're not gonna..."
"Ladies, lets go!" Kayura said, grabbing both Anubis and Sekhmet, dragging them into the store. Crystal needed not drag Sage; he came in on his own...a pile of drool forming at the corner of his mouth. Rowen was a challenge. He refused to go in.
"I'm more decent than those three...I'd rather not go in." he told Asa.
"Too bad," Asa replied smirking, "You're coming anyway." She pulled him inside the store.
A saleswoman walked up to the group. "Can I help you with anything?" she asked.
"No, we're just looking." Kayura answered, who was digging through a pile of silk panties trying to find a few she liked, smirking at Sekhmet and Anubis who were looking over her shoulder.
"That green one looks good." Sekhmet commented, "Model it for me...please?"
Kayura rolled her eyes, "Never for you Snakey-chan."
"How about me?" Anubis asked. Kayura whacked both of them on the head. Asa and Crystal didn't want to buy anything from there right now and just waited for Kayura to make her purchases. They amused themselves by watching Sage go ga-ga over the items in the store.
Sage wandered over to them later, "Hey, why do you girls buy this stuff anyway? It comes right off a second later anyway." That comment prompted a whack on the shoulder from both Crystal and Asa.
"Ow!" Sage said, rubbing his sore shoulders, "What'd I say wrong?"
Asa quickly walked over to a Kodak store, bought a disposable camera, and returned to Victoria's Secret. She instructed Sage to hold up a pair of panties. Happily he did and she snapped a picture of him holding it. She snapped a picture of Kayura, Sekhmet, and Anubis over at the check out counter. Also, she took a picture of Crystal and Rowen. Crystal was smiling and Rowen looked sick to his stomach, blushing like crazy.
"You know Rowen." Asa said, "You look cute when you blush." That caused him to blush more.
~Meanwhile at the house~
Dawn, Violet, and Mia were sunning by the pool when all of a sudden Kento jumped into the pool shouting `Cannon Ball!' and water splashed all over them. As soon as he surfaced, Violet yelled at him.
"Why'd you do that?" Violet asked, "You could have done that on the other side of the pool without splashing us!"
Kento shrugged, "Maybe I felt like it."
Cale walked over to the lounge chair Violet was sitting in and picked her up.
"What are you doing?" Violet screeched. Cale tossed her into the pool and then dove in. Once they had both surfaced she began sputtering curses at him.
"Now I'm soaked!" Violet complained.
"You would've gotten wet anyway by those cannon balls of Kento's." Cale pointed out. He stepped out of the pool and held his hand out to Violet, "Lemme help you up."
"You won't throw me in again?" Violet asked.
"No." Cale answered. Violet held her hands out to him and he took them and pulled her up out of the water. She accidentally bumped into him.
"Sorry." Violet mumbled.
"Don't worry `bout it. Let me get you a towel." Cale said, before slipping into the house to retrieve a beach towel for her. Cye dove in without a single splash. Dais did a back flip off the diving board. Ryo was swimming laps from one end of the pool to the other. He stopped for a second and looked at Dawn.
"Want to come in?" Ryo asked her, "The water feels good."
Dawn sat up and smiled, "Sure." She gingerly stepped into the pool. Ryo laughed at her.
"What?" Dawn asked.
"Oh...nothing." Ryo replied.
"Tell me." Dawn said.
"Nah." Ryo answered.
Dawn groaned and splashed water in his face.
Cale came back outside with a towel for Violet moments later, he came up behind her and wrapped the towel around her.
"Thanks." Violet replied.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oy....well, here's chapter 6. Feedback wanted! I...............need...................caffeine!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------