"I am such a fool." Ayame whispered miserably, sprawled over the dirty tiling of the shrine's
roof. Her arms shook violently as she feebly tried to push herself up. All she could manage was
to turn herself over so she lay on her back. Her arms fell lifeless to her sides, only her palms
moving to rub against the gritty surface she lay upon. She gasped as another wave of nauseating
pain rushed through her.
She had nearly been in the clear. She had just retrieved the demon stone by eviscerating the
behemoth cult slave who kept it protected in his stomach. All she had to do was waltz out of the
demon shrine and return the tainted relic to Lord Godha. Like black death itself Onikage
appeared from nowhere and returned there just as quickly. Frustrated at his departure when she
had been winning the fight, Ayame failed to notice the danger behind her. One of the cult
followers had not been fully killed. Just as Ayame turned around a black substance sprayed from
its upturned mouth and struck her in the chest. The sticky substance oozed down the front of her
shirt and then enigmatically disappeared. The creature laughed evilly, laid back its shrunken
head, and fell happily into deaths arms.
The pain overtook her as soon as she stepped outside the shrine. It traveled from the bottom of
her stomach and shot all the way up her spine. Mercifully, she had been able to use her grappling
hook to reach safety on the shrine's rooftop before collapsing.
Now she lay withering in pain, fully aware there was no way she would be able to escape on her
own. Rikimaru had gone off to explore the pagoda like tower in the middle of the town. It was by
chance that Ayame came across the huge shrine first and found the statue where the stone was
supposed to be. She shuddered, unhappily remembering where the stone had actually been.
Rikimaru, Ayame thought helplessly. He was her only hope now. Whatever the creature had done
to her she would need medical help, and quickly. Another spasm of pain washed over her already
weak body, followed by another...and another...
Ayame looked up helplessly at the night sky. It was starless and moonless, nothing but an ever
present black that surrounded her, yet somehow Ayame managed to find comfort in the black
velvet. It reminded her of the ebony in Rikimaru's eyes, the fathomless depths of his eyes.
Rikimaru hung precariously off the edge of one of the pagoda-like towers. His body was
completely motionless in the air. As he reached over to start pulling himself to the right he felt a
sudden snap. Ayame's ki, her constant fierce and shining ki, completely faded. The rational part
of Rikimaru's mind told him she could just be unconscious, but it was possible...
For the first time in years Rikimaru's body acted of its own accord. His hands simply let go of the
roof and he fell two stories. Not even acknowledging the impact of the landing he drew his sword
in the same breath. He raced through the town with the speed only a ninja could posses. He
passed right in front of guards who could not see him, he moved so quickly. The buildings, the
ground, the trees, all blurred around him as he increased his speed to reach his fallen partner. As
he approached the shrine he catapulted onto the roof and landed with a loud thud, completely
uncharacteristic of him.
"Ayame," he whispered, grabbing her lightly by the shoulders and shaking. She gave no sign of
consciousness. Without any more hesitation he gathered his partner into his arms and raced back
to Lord Godha, all the while silently praying in his mind. Any thoughts of the stone or
completing the mission were a thousand miles away.
**************************************************************************** **
"If she just makes it through tonight then she'll be past the worst of it." A pretty woman said,
bowing before the anxious Lord Godha. She was clad in a white kimono with a plain red obi
wrapped around her waist. Her expressive eyes were traced with fatigue.
"Is there any more you can do for her Hinageshi?" Lord Godha asked, concern thickening his voice.
"I have administered every medicine possible. Now it all depends on her will to live. All we can
do is pray." She said sadly and straightened herself.
Rikimaru, who was kneeling next to Godha, held a blank expression on his face. Even to Godha
his expression were unreadable. Hinageshi gave him an empathetic look, though she was not sure
he was even aware of her presence.
"May I see her now?" he asked abruptly. Hinageshi looked to Lord Godha, who nodded tiredly.
"Come Hinageshi, escort me to the shrine. Let us share a prayer for our Ayame." Hinageshi
nodded and took him by the arm. They left the room practically leaning on each other for support.
Rikimaru stood up. The sudden silence was unnerving. He never realized how accustomed he
had become to Ayame's sarcastic remarks. In fact, he had never realized how much he enjoyed
always having her around. Without her classic smirk and hands-on-hip-pose, Lord Godha's estate
felt empty and meaningless.
He entered the healer's room cautiously, sliding the door slowly as to not make any noise. There
was another healer in the room kneeling next to Ayame, a young woman with the same kimono
and obi as Hinageshi. She looked up at Rikimaru and nodded. She wearily got up and handed
him a damp white cloth, then left the room silently.
Rikimaru walked over to the still figure and kneeled. Only Ayame's head peaked from the pile of
blankets that they had piled on her to keep her warm. Her face was impossibly pale. There was
sweat streak across her forehead, making her hair cling to her skin and fall in her tightly closed
eyes. Gently he pushed the hair out of her face. There was a bowl filled with water next to her
futon. He wet the cloth and placed it on her forehead, cooling her skin and causing her to stir.
"Shh Ayame, go back to sleep." He whispered, his deep voice tempting her to do exactly so. She
shook her head, causing the cloth to fall off.
"No, I don't want to sleep." She muttered stubbornly, trying to get her eyes to focus. Rikimaru
shook his head and placed the cloth back on her.
"You need your rest." He said simply. "I'll stay with you tonight." He promised. Ayame smiled,
but suddenly a wave of pain hit her again. She gasped.
"Ayame! Should I get the healer?" he asked, already halfway up. Ayame's arm shot out and
grabbed a hold of him firmly.
"Rikimaru, I know they can't do anymore. Besides, your supposed to stay with me, remember?"
she said with a sleepy smile.
Rikimaru looked hesitant but returned to kneeling beside her. They sat in silence for a few
moments, Ayame's raspy breathing the only sound to be heard. She then pushed some of the
blankets off of her, insisting she was too hot. Rikimaru tried to get her to stop, but after awhile
conceded and helped her pull them off. She lay still for a few moments, then took hold of his hand.
"Rikimaru, do you think I'll live?" she asked suddenly, her voice dreamy and distant.
"Ayame, focus. You will live." Rikimaru ordered. Ayame smiled.
"I'm wearing you comb. Its so pretty." she whispered, her hand trailing up and feeling the comb
nestled deep within her hair. "Thank you, Rikimaru."
Rikimaru nodded, a slight blush in his cheeks. He gently readjusted the comb and fixed her hair.
She leaned into his touch and sighed, but suddenly her eyes sharpened.
"I feel the sleep calling me." She paused, her voice sober. "But it is a dark sleep."
"Ayame, stay awake." Rikimaru demanded, leaning close to his dear partner. He gently cradled
her head in his hands, forcing her to look in his eyes.
"Ayame, look at me. Stay awake." he whispered vehemently.
"Rikimaru, I feel odd." she said slowly, sniffling a bit.
"Focus on me Ayame, focus." He ordered, shutting his eyes. Gently he placed his hands over
Ayame's heart and concentrated. "I think I can help you."
He concentrated on his breathing. Slowly in, slowly out. He felt the air enter his body then exit in
a fluid pattern. He slowly faded from reality and became more attune with his spirit. His ki was
churning in his abdomen. He beckoned it and progressively it traveled up through his body and
then through his hands. He kept pushing and focusing, until he felt his ki, his very essence, begin
to flow through his hands and into Ayame.
To Ayame it was as if light itself was pouring into her body. Everywhere Rikimaru's ki touched
glowed with his spirit. The pain faded into a memory and her body grew back its strength. Her
eyes opened, yet she knew she was not seeing the real world. All she could see was beautiful
white light and Rikimaru's silhouette.
"What happened?" Ayame asked wondrously. Rikimaru's figure snapped into focus. He smiled.
"I let my ki enter you body to dispel the poison." He said, his words not really being spoken, yet
Ayame heard them anyway.
"But, where are we?"
"Our kis are now bonded. We are on a deeper level of consciousness."
"Rikimaru!" she gasped suddenly. "Is this enlightenment?"
"I do not think so. This is...I do not know what this is." He replied honestly.
"It's nice." Ayame sighed, and moved closer to Rikimaru's spiritual figure. He moved away from her.
"We should try to keep our chi's seperate..." he began, though Ayame somehow knew he was
curious as well.
"It's too late, we might as well merge our ki's. Don't hold back, Rikimaru." She whispered softly.
Slowly their spiritual figures moved together and their arms wrapped around each other. It was as
if everything silently exploded, and then fell into the most tranquil of moments. They were part of
a greater whole now, yet still individuals. Ayame had never felt closer or more a part of anything
in her life.
"I feel so calm." Ayame whispered. Rikimaru held her closer. Suddenly Ayame felt like she could
touch Rikimaru's soul. Slowly Rikimaru's emotions and thoughts came to her, and hers went to him.
"I never knew you were so lonely." She began, wondrously.
"It seems you are as well."
"Rikimaru...I..."
Suddenly their little world crashed all around them. Ayame's spirit slammed back into her body
and she sat up sputtering and coughing. Rikimaru seemed in shock as well. He shook his head
quickly and began to pat Ayame on the back in an attempt to clear her coughing. He looked over
to see what had disturbed them.
"Ayame, are you all right?" Hinageshi asked, rushing to her side. Ayame nodded, managing to get
control of her coughing. Hinageshi closed her eyes and placed her hand over Ayame's heart,
chanting softly. She gasped.
"The poison has left you body!" she said in amazement. "Ayame I am so relieved, I shall go
retrieve Lord Godha!" she cried happily and left the room quickly. Her words hardly registered to
Ayame who was looking at Rikimaru in amazement.
"Rikimaru...that was crazy." She said plainly, not knowing what else to say.
"I feel I can still read your thoughts." He said slowly, trying to understand what had happened.
"I can feel yours too." She said. It was as if this were the first time they had ever really looked at
each other, and they both found themselves lost in one another.
"Ayame's okay, Ayame's okay! Yeah!" Princess Kiko cheered, bursting into the room and
instantly smothering Ayame in a huge hug. Ayame laughed and hugged her tightly.
"Yes Kiko, I'm all right now." Ayame assured her.
Kiko turned around and eyed Rikimaru for a moment, and suddenly he felt that her child's eyes saw more than they should. "Rikimaru was worried! Kiko can tell." She said surely. Before he could respond Lord Godha and Hinageshi entered the room, and Rikimaru's many questions were left unanswered as they all celebrated Ayame's sudden recovery.
