OK so thanks to skyprincess: you'll see how Rei would learn to love him...or maybe she already does but isn't aware of the emotion yet. huffpuff: Thanks! Rei can handle him...I hope. Zakire: Oh I don't mind if you slice and dice me with my fav bishie's sword...hehe. RubyRedDragon05: Aww I hope you're already well and up and about. I don't want my dear reader to get sick. Priscilla: Hehe YUP! I'm bringing HIM back. Yeah I'm surprise too, actually. But Tasuki is still having that conflct...he doesn't want to show how much he feels yet by beating the hell out of poor Taka...maybe later...hehe. Thanks! Myst-Lady: Haha! I don't have a secret. I just write stuff (I know I wasn't convincing there). Yeah yeah I watched the OVAs. I love them....except that my fav bishie is now a ghost. Thanks! Faith: Tasuki is just Tasuki...I can't picture him (like what Priscilla said) giving sweet flowers to Rei. I guess a more direct approach to winning a girl's heart (or punch) is his style...hehe. Taka...well...maybe...hehe. monoxide child: Ahuh ahuh...ya got it! It definitely shut her up...but there's probably a reason why he did what he did... Thanks! Lunacat and jbramx2: THANKS!!! I will finish this fic. I promise. kaoru kamiya: bonjour to you too! Nah I'm not mad. Actually I am planning to make a side story for "Stay" that shows a healthy Rei that can definitely perform her powerful attacks well. Keep in mind though that in "Stay" Rei was drained pretty bad and it was through sheer determination that she was able to even perform her priestess powers, let alone using her senshi ones. In this fic I will certainly show her powers. Thanks!
I DO NOT OWN EVERYTHING HERE!!!
Chapter 4
"Titus!"
The blue clad youma walked towards her lord and master. "What can I do to serve you my lord?"
"I am assigning you to finish this task at once. I don't want any interference to conquer this world as soon as possible." The negaverse lord turned to the master of this realm.
"Tenkou, this Suzaku warriors you mentioned...you said they will be a threat?" The speaker smirked at the gleaming eyes of his new ally. "I see...Titus, destroy all of them including their priestess."
"Hikou is already on this mission. He won't stop until he finished what he had come to do." Tenkou kept his calm as he glared at the man standing in front of his thrown.
The icy eyes turned their attention to the seated man who resurrected him. "Titus will go and aid your slave."
"You seemed to be forgetting who orders who around here." Tenkou caressed something cylindrical around his palm. "I would hate to throw you back to where you come from, my dear."
"I'm just merely making sure that nothing will go awry." Again, two icy blue eyes turned towards the man on the thrown. "Titus will make sure any obstacles will be eliminated."
Tenkou seemed to ponder for a second before he succumbed to the lord of the negaverse's plan. "I will let your slave kill the Suzaku seven and their priestess." Tenkou flicked his finger creating a surge of power within the room and got the attention of the ever cold man. " Just don't forget your place..."
The new resurrected ally from the negaverse nodded his head and turned towards the exit, but not without smiling a cold smile to himself.
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"Uhg! I can't sleep!" Poor Rei couldn't even sleep peacefully throughout the night. The nightmares she was having with her worst enemy was enough to make her insane. Now, a certain red head was starting to create havoc to her already crumbling sanity.
Why the hell did he kiss me? And how dare he!
Rei was rooted to her spot that night Tasuki kissed her for no reason at all....or maybe there was. The poor, stunned princess of Mars wouldn't have gotten out of her stupefied situation if Hotohori didn't help her out of it. The gentle emperor touched her burning cheeks to make sure she was still with the living. The gentle eyes looking at her with amused concern took her out by surprise. Docking her head, she murmured something about going to sleep. Excusing herself to the rest of the onlookers, she walked inside the house with as much dignity as she could show.
Only minutes away and the morning sunshine would start to rise. Breakfast would not be long and Rei dreaded to see the bastard who kissed her without her consent. She tried to cover her face with the blanket she was offered when Nuriko barged in without knocking.
"Wake up Rei!" The hovering ghost of Nuriko was definitely amused at what he had witnessed last night, and he couldn't wait to see how the two of them would react in front of the breakfast table.
"Nuriko keep your voice down." A muffled voice demanded.
"Oh stop that. You have to get up. It's time to eat so we could leave here as soon as possible." Nuriko took the blanket that was covering the girl. "Can't sleep can you?" Nuriko chuckled.
Rei eyed her. "I was tired from the trip. Now if you please, can I have my blanket back?"
Nuriko grinned evilly. "You didn't seem tired when you screamed like a banshee last night..."
Rei ignored his banter. "Nuriko, please give me ten minutes to sleep. I promise I'll join you at breakfast."
"Ahuh...Tasuki must have exhausted you after that ki..." A huge rectangular pillow smacked right in front of the seihshi's face before he could finish his fun.
A red face Rei glared menacingly at the grinning Nuriko. "I don't like to be teased Nuriko."
"Awww don't tell me you didn't enjoy it." Watching the girl turned even redder, his theory was proven. Nuriko hovered down beside her bed. "You know Tasuki wasn't like that at all. He hates women and we were quite surprised he did what he did. He must be really crazy for you, whether he knew it or not." Hearing no reaction from Rei, he sighed. "Well, I'll see you at breakfast." Nuriko patted her head before disappearing through the wall.
"What am I going to do? Oh Selene I hate that man!" Shoving her blanket out of the way, Rei stood up and went directly to the water basin to wash her still blushing face. She looked at herself in the mirror and touched her cheeks with her finger. "I don't even like him..."
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"Give me back my bun Tasuki!" Miaka was screaming at the top of her lungs as she tried to grab back the tasty treat her seishi managed to steal.
"Miaka you already ate ten of them. You'll turn into a humoungous priestess Suzaku will ever have!" The red head knew he hit the spot, and he loved making girls mad, especially after seeing the effects on Miaka's furious face as he ate her dumpling with a satisfied sigh.
"Tasuki! I swear you'll pay for what you just did." The angry priestess seemed to have smoke coming out of her ears. However, the threat that came out of her mouth was neglected as the weary Rei entered the vicinity.
Everyone seemed to be gaining their composure, except for Nuriko who winked at her, reminiscing his early morning visit in her room. Looking at Tasuki, she was rewarded with a smug smirk.
What's wrong with him?
Finally finding an empty seat next to Chiriko and noticing the prepared breakfast for her, she ignored the quiet reception hovering over the room.
She ate her food serenely until Miaka mentioned that they should be heading out and find the last of the orbs at Tenkou's domain, as Taiitsukun had instructed them earlier.
Rei nodded her hear and drank the remaining of her milk when a sudden familiar sensation washed over her. The cup on her hand dropped with a loud thud on the table, alerting everyone.
"Are you OK?" Chiriko asked with concern. Rei's amethyst eyes turned glassy and a gush of cold wind swept over the room. She remained stunned for a couple of second when Chichiri reached over the table to take her cold hand. He was about to say a little chant when Rei suddenly stood up causing her chair to fall backwards.
"There's a youma in the area. Please stay here." With that Rei jumped out the nearest window.
"Hey wait! Don't ya dare go alone, ya stupid woman." Tasuki, as well as the rest of the people who occupied the room, started running after the disappearing form of the girl just behind the trees. A sudden red, blinding light covered the forest area, causing the warriors and their priestess to cover their eyes.
"What the hell was that?" Tasuki blinked the bright intrusion.
"I don't know, no da, but Rei was headed in that direction. Let's go!" Chichiri led the running, but he stopped abruptly after passing the trees where they thought Rei had gone to. Everyone stood speechless at the sight before them. Rei was just finishing her transformation to Sailor Mars when the seven men and a girl stood with their mouths hanging open.
"Great..." Mars muttered under her breath.
"Who the hell are ya and what did ya do to Rei?" Tasuki was staring at the glaring girl who looked quite familiar to him.
"I don't have time to explain this, but I am Rei." Another set of gaping mouths appeared. Rei massaged her temple to erase some of the growing head ache. "Please let me handle the youma and stay out of my way."
They couldn't seem to hear her and proceeded on interrogating the poor senshi of Mars.
"How did you change outfit so fast?" Miaka, like the others, was quite surprise at this enigma. The look on everyone's faces was not missed by the priestess of Suzaku as they waited the answer from the short-skirted, beautiful woman before them.
Mars sighed, "I am one of the Silver Millennium's senshi known as Sailor Mars. This is my warrior form." Seeing that everyone seemed to take her words with understanding, Mars continued, "Now if you please, I have a youma to kill."
"Wait just a minute!" Tasuki grabbed her hand before she could turn away. "We didn't say ya can fight this alone."
"Tasuki is right, Rei. We will help you destroy the enemy." Hotohori added.
"I thought you were clear that I was the only one here who could easily defeat the creatures of the negaverse. And you Taka does not have any powers to fight against these devils. I suggest to all of you to let me handle this situation."
The determination in her eyes didn't hinder the Suzaku seven to back out. Taka stepped up front. "I know I don't have my seishi powers, but I will do anything to eliminate anything that threatens us. They are our enemy too, Rei."
"So what are we waitin' for. Lead the way, Rei."
"No, stop!" Miaka grabbed Taka's arms. "She's right, you know. This is her job and we should let her do this alone."
"Miaka, what are you talking about?" Taka was searching his girl friend's eyes. Everyone stopped and turned to their priestess.
"You know what I'm talking about. Rei was chosen so she could do what she was sent here to do and I don't want any more of my seishi killed." Miaka's lips were tight as she was determined not to send them to fight the youma. She noticed that Rei was moving away, leaping out of their sights.
"Miaka, you know we have to fight this. I don't care if I have my power or not. I don't want the same thing that happened to me happen to people of this world." Taka shook her gently as Miaka still stared at nothing, looking in a distance. "I also have to protect you and standing here doing nothing will not accomplish anything."
"Hey! Where the hell is Rei?" The warriors turned around and found an empty spot where Rei was supposed to be.
"She left." The quiet voice of Miaka made them looked at her again.
"Which direction Miaka?" Taka looked quite surprise at her behavior. "Tell us, Miaka."
"Didn't you hear what I just said?" The screaming voice of their priestess startled them. "I said to let her do this alone. That's her job...to kill those creatures!" Her sudden outburst even surprised herself. She ran back towards the house, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"What's wrong with her?" Tasuki asked.
"Miaka..." Taka stared at his priestess's retreating form.
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"Show yourself youma!" Sailor Mars managed to escaped the group. She didn't want to be rude by leaving them, but she had to kill her enemy before it caused anymore chaos. She could feel that this youma was not an ordinary one.
She looked at the clear lake in front of her. She could sense something was terribly wrong with the water and felt something familiar...from a long time ago. Gathering her priestess powers, to call forth her ofuda, Mars focused to reveal the monster beneath the lake. Seconds passed when a swirl of turbulent water appeared in the center of the once serene waters.
"Well well well...a senshi of the Silver Millennium has grazed us with her presence. Welcome Sailor Mars...to your death!" Sailor Mars was just in time to dodge the first attack the youma threw at her.
"Titus!" Mars growled.
"So you remember me... good. I would be disappointed if you don't, for I will be the last youma you'd see before you die!"
"I doubt that nega trash!"
Titus blasted another water attack, which Mars barely avoided. Mars looked behind her and saw the damaged it created. There used to be trees standing in the area, but the attack created a long, wide path.
"My turn...Burning Mandala!" A circle of fire surrounded the senshi, as she concentrated on blasting her enemy.
Unfortunately, Titus was quick enough to anticipate the fire balls heading her way. The fire only caused a deep burn on her left shoulder. She dropped down to the ground, heaving slightly.
Rei walked to where the youma was clutching her shoulder. "Good bye Titus." Mars was about to chant her "flame sniper" to end the youma's life when Titus, again, created a swirling of water to trap Mars in it.
The water almost swallowed the fire senshi when she heard Titus screamed. She looked towards where the youma was and saw that she had a sword going through her abdomen. The last scene she saw before the water fully enveloped her was the Suzaku warriors arriving.
"You think you can destroy me with this pathetic sword?" Titus pulled Hotohori's red glowing weapon and threw it to the ground.
"Rekka Shinen!" A ball of flame came heading towards the staggering Titus, but she managed to smother it with her water power. "Release Rei!"
"Rei? Oh you mean the senshi of Mars?" Titus laughed as she hovered in the air. "You fools! you don't know who you're dealing with!" The youma prepared to launched an attack to finish her mission. She didn't notice the red glow that started to fight the water encasing Mars.
"Look everyone!" Chiriko pointed to the swirling water. Without warning a burst of flame erupted from within the water, heading right towards where Titus was hovering. The blue-clad youma fell to the ground with a loud thud.
Everyone watched as Rei dropped gracefully to the ground, glaring at the fallen youma. "Flame sniper!" A fiery bow and arrow appeared in her hands, aiming directly at Titus's weakest point.
Amazingly, the youma laughed. "When I die, my lord Jedite will come after you."
Mars froze at the mention of the name. Titus noticed. "It will be a bittersweet reunion between the two of y..." The arrow pierced through her body and the youma was gone.
"Are you OK?" Taka approached the stiff girl. Rei continued to stare at the ashes of Titus.
"Let's go back to the house." Slowly, Taka guided the still senshi towards the direction of the house. A loud flick of Tasuki's fan made them stop.
"Taka..." Tasuki turned to the girl before he muttered the rest of his words to the former Tamahome.
"I would like to be alone for awhile," Rei said. Taka let her arm go.
"Let us go everyone." Hotohori understood that Rei wanted to be by herself and motioned for his comrades to go back to the house. Tasuki, however, didn't listen.
"Hey, I...we don't want ya to go out there all alone. There are wild beasts out there ready to pounce at unsuspecting girls like you."
Rei turned to look at him and smirked. "Why Tasuki...I see that you're concern for my well-being. But as you well know that I can take care of my self and I don't want you to tell me what to do or not to do." The incident with Titus seemed to have been forgotten as Mars stormed out of them.
"Don't be foolish, woman!" Tasuki grabbed her arm to face him. "Ya just fought that damned thing! Look at ya, ya look like hell!" Tasuki didn't mean to upset Rei even more. It was true, though. There were several scratches all over her body and bruises that would undoubtedly sprout their ugly colors soon.
Rei glared once again at him and blinked. She was certain she saw something that was akin to real concern that formed on the red head's visage. "Tasuki, I just needed some fresh air. Now will you let go of me?" The last sentence came out as a growl as Rei tried to pry his hand from her arm.
Tasuki was amused at the soft tone of her voice before she growled. He reluctantly let go of her arm. "Be back before lunch..." Tasuki leaned forward, almost touching Rei's forehead with his. "If not I'll hunt ya down and carry ya like last night."
"Jerk!" Rei's boiling temper shimmered back to life, resulting with Tasuki falling with his rear end, not quite so softly, on the forest ground. Obviously, everyone, like last night, observed the scene before them and laughed at their fallen comrade.
Tasuki grumbled something incoherent as he watched Rei stormed off.
The next chapter will be quite intense. I hope you won't kill by doing what I have in mind. I'll remind you again not to kill this poor author on my next chapter and I'll give you a bit of reason why.
"till next time!!!