Konichiwa!

         Firs of all, arigatou gozaimasu for all those who reviewed! You inspired me a lot. Thanks also for the corrections. I used them here in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ayashi no Ceres. Only Yuu Watase owns it. How many times do I need to say that --

Chapter 2

Ceres appears

         Since ancient times, people have adored the beauty of the sunset. The perfectly shaped orange sun was like a king with the red orange sky as his cape.    Nothing could compare the feeling of calmness it brought about. It was just so perfect. It was something that could take away all your negative feelings such as sadness and emptiness.

         Who would have thought that in this occasion its power had no effect?

         In the gloomy chapel lit by those spooky candles, no one seemed to care about the sunset. No one bothered to look out in the window to experience the warmth the sunset held, to let it cheer him up and take his worries away. But of course, with the very heavy atmosphere the chapel possessed, who would have thought such things?

         The chapel was now almost deserted. People left long ago, maybe they can't bear such atmosphere. Only those really close to the 2 deceased teenagers were left.

           "Aya, you should really go home now. You need to get some rest, " Suzumi sat beside the mother-to-be.

         "I still don't want to..." Aya protested. She turned her gaze to Yuuhi who was lost in his thoughts. He was sitting beside Chidori's coffin.

         Understanding what Aya was thinking, Suzumi patted Aya's back, "Don't worry, he will survive this." Aya noticed that she doubted what she said. "And besides, you really need to get some rest. You really need energy because there is another life in you..."

         Aya glanced over her belly. It was large due to the fact that she was 9 months pregnant. Suzumi is right. "Maybe I really-"

         Aya didn't have the chance to finish what she was saying. Suddenly, the bond Yuuhi dropped earlier glowed so much that it became noticeable.

         "What happened Toya?"

         "What is this?"

         The celestial maiden's symbol appeared a few feet in front of Yuuhi. A blinding flash forced them to block their eyes. Once it cleared, they were surprised to see the least person they expected.

         Ceres.

         "Why are you here?" Aya asked.

         "I have come to fulfill my husband's last wish," Ceres answered. She was holding something in her hands.

         "The mana!" Alexander pointed the thing Ceres was holding.

         "Why are you holding the mana? I thought it already merged with you?" Toya asked.

         "This is the mana the C project created. This is the mana my husband has."

         "But why?"

         "His last wish was to bring happiness to you all. He may not change everything, but he wants to give you something."

         "And what is that?"

         "With the power of the mana, Toya, Aki and Chidori will live normally."

         There was again that dead silence. They were trying to analyze what Ceres had said. It was really a hard thing, you know. Having Ceres appear suddenly then announce that Toya, Aki and Chidori will live normally was just so...pathetic.

         "What did you say?" They were all surprise when it was Yuuhi who spoke. He was quite lost a while ago but suddenly hearing Chidori's name woke him up.

         "Toya will live longer. Aki and Chidori will be revived. Is that hard to understand?"

         "But...that's impossible! Only one person can have the mana!"

         "If you have the mana, you would be immortal. I am going to divide it to three so that they will just live like a normal human being, not like an immortal."

         Ceres closed her eyes. Concentrating very hard, she was able to divide the mana into 3 equal parts. Each part went inside the body they were designated to. There was again another binding light.

         "Toya! Are you alright?" Aya immediately approached him.

         "I...I...feel something burning in me...as though there was something that triggered my will to live," Toya faced Aya and they embraced.

         "Look!" Alexander pointed the coffin of Aki. The glass shattered. They were all stunned for a moment. Just then, Aki sat up.

         "Where am I?" He asked as he looked around. "And why the heck am I in a coffin?"

         "Aki!!!" Aya ran towards Aki and gave him a tight hug. "I missed you so much!!!"

         "Aya!" Aki hugged her back.

         Seeing this, Yuuhi ran towards the coffin of Chidori. He immediately unlocked the glass and shook Chidori.

         "Oi! Chidori! Don't play games with me now. Wake up!" Seeing no reaction, he looked at Ceres.

         "Don't worry, she'll be back. Um...maybe a little bit later." Suzumi sensed her doubt.

         After making sure that Yuuhi was not listening, Suzumi faced Ceres, "Why is Chidori not yet here?"

         Sadness spread across her face, "Reviving a person is not easy. The person must be willing to come back..."

         "What do you mean?"

         "Chidori doesn't want to come back."

         "What?! You must be joking, Ceres. She loves Yuuhi so much that she wants to be with him!"

         "I talked to her. It was like this..."

-----Flash back--------

         "It is so wonderful here!!!" Chidori was running around a field. It was full of flowers. The birds were chirping merrily.

         "Mom! Dad!" Chidori ran towards the two figures standing under a Sakura tree.

         "Do you like it here Chidori?" Her dad asked.

         "Of course! I want to be with you!"

         "But how about Shota?" Her mom asked.

         "Shota? I believe that they will not leave him," by that, Chidori proceeded to run in the field.

         After a while, she grew tired that she sat in the grass, " This place   is so beautiful!"

         "Do you want to go back there?" Chidori turned to find the owner of the voice.

         Ceres.

         "Ceres? What are you doing here? Oh, I get it! You're also dead, right?"

         "Do you want to be back there?" Ceres asked again.

         "As in to be alive?"

         "Yes..."

         Chidori thought for a moment. To be back there will mean that she would see Yuuhi again. But...is she ready?

         "I...don't want to."

         "What?!"

         "I...I'm not sure if...if he would be pleased to see me."

         "I am sure he will be," Chidori was surprised to see Aki.

         "Aki?"

         "Chidori, I am going back there. Please come back."

         "I don't want to..."

         "I know you only need some time. After placing the mana in your body, you will be given 24 hours to merge with it. You can't go back anymore once you rejoin your body. Think about it, Chidori..." Ceres and Aki vanished.

---End of Flash back------

         "But...this is impossible. Chidori, not wanting to get back?"

         "She still has 23 hours and 45 minutes."

         "I hope she'll come back..."

---Aogiri's household----------

         With Aki back, they planned to have a little party for him. Only Aki and Suzumi knew that Chidori don't like to come back so the others kept reassuring Yuuhi that Chidori will be back.

         Yuuhi didn't join the small party. It wasn't because he wasn't happy that Aki was back but he is just not in the mood. So he kept himself locked in his room, with Chidori.

         Since they thought that Chidori would be back, they've decided to bring her body home. It's been 3 hours since Aki was revived but still there was no trace of life within Chidori's body.

         "Chidori, please wake up now..." Yuuhi kept on muttering such words every now and then.

         Outside Yuuhi's room, Suzumi will ask someone to check on Yuuhi every 10 minutes. They were all curious to know why Suzumi was so worried. Of course, only Aki knew why...

----------------------------------

         "Will I go back there?" Chidori was sitting near the river. She was reflecting to what Ceres said. It was a nice chance to be with Yuuhi...but...

         "Why don't you want to go back there?" Chidori was surprised to see her mother.

         "Mom?"

         "We heard everything, Chidori. Why don't you want to go back?"

         "Um..I...I am happy here...with you."

         "Is that the real reason?"  Chidori broke their eye contact. Her mother's gaze made her feel that her mother can read her thoughts.

         "I am just not sure if...if...he wants to see me..."

         "What made you think that he will not be?"

         "He loves someone else..."

         "Does that mean that he will not be happy to see you?"

         "What..What do you mean?"

         "Chidori, even if he doesn't love you as much as you love him, it doesn't mean that he will not be happy to see you. Besides, I am sure he loves you too, more than a friend."

         "He doesn't like girls that look like elementary students." Her mother giggled.

         "Anyway, I think you must come back," Her mother gave her a reassuring smile.

         "Maybe...I need to go back."

-----Aogiri's household----------

         "Q-chan, could you-"

         "-Please see what Yuuhi is doing? Yes, madam," Q-chan stood up and proceeded to Yuuhi's room.

         "Suzumi-san, why do you keep on asking someone to check on Yuuhi?" Alex asked. He then poured another glass of sake.

         "He is such a kill joy! Chidori will be back. I'll go and let him be with us," Aya stood up and proceeded to Yuuhi's room.

         "Yuuhi! Please open the door!" Q-chan knocked on Yuuhi's room.

         "Why, Q-chan?" Yuuhi asked as he opened the door.

         "Don't you want to eat something Yuuhi?"

         "I'm not hungry."

         "Aw, Yuuhi, please! Come with us! We are playing some games. I'm sure Chidori will be back. Maybe there was still something left for her to do, so she was delayed. Please!" Aya knelt in front of Yuuhi.

         "Aya, I don't want to."

         "Please"

         One of the weakest points of Aogiri Yuuhi is that he can't decline favors made with the 'puppy eyes'. "Alright. But just a while."

         "Yehey!!"

         The three of them proceeded to the living room. As Yuuhi closed the door, Chidori's body glowed.

-------Living Room-----

         "Yuuhi, let's play chess." Aki challenged Yuuhi. Suzumi gave Aki a questioning stare. Aki just smiled at him.

         "Okay, I'll just get some drinks." Aya went to the kitchen.

         "I'll help you." Q-chan followed.

         Aki and Yuuhi started their game. Toya and Alex were watching intently.

         "Check!" Yuuhi announced after a while.

         "Do you really think so?" Aki let his queen eat Yuuhi's bishop that checked the king a while ago.

         "Argh!!!"

         "You must have a keen eye, you know?"

         "Do you really expect a chef to be good at this game?"

         "Here is your-Ah!" It happened so fast. Aya arrived with a tray of refreshments. Just then, she slipped. Yuuhi, being nearest to the door, caught her. It was so fast that both landed on each other and...

         Their lips met.

         A kiss brought about by a slip.

         Suzumi and Toya quickly helped Yuuhi and Aya.

         BLAG!!

         The sliding door that leads to the hallway shut violently. They were silent for a while. No one left the room so who could have closed it?

         It was Aki that enlightened them.

         "Wasn't that...Chidori?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------TO BE CONTINUED...

So what do you think? Please review!!!

         I'm very sorry if this chapter is kinda lame. If you want to criticize it, please be gentle.

         I'm also not sure about the mana thingie. You know, I couldn't think of anything that could revive them.

         Do you want me to make this fic longer? If not, next chapter will be the ending. This story was supposed to be one-shot but I'm just too lazy to write it in only one long chapter. So what? Please help me!

Miriae