Chapter 9

In the middle of the night, Aoi woke up suddenly. She looked around to find, she was not in her bedroom. She was yet again in a cell. She didn't pay any attention to it. It was too late at night. She thought she was simply dreaming and fell into a long slumber.

It was daylight but there was no sunlight, daylight, or any light filling the room. Again Aoi woke. She looked around and found it was still dark. She looked at her watch that Usagi brought for her. It glowed in the dark. It read that it was 12:30. She jumped up. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness.

"Man! Not again!" She yelled. She looked down at herself and found herself in another lovely outfit. This time it was silver. She had a full skirt on that passed her ankles that had long slits up the sides. She had a shirt that was button able and it had a sash to the side of it to make it look better. The shirt stopped at the middle of her stomach. She yet again found herself wearing high heels and instead of gold jewelry, she had on silver jewelry and Cherry pink lipstick with silver eye shadow.

"Damn you Nakago! Just wait until I get out of here! I knew I should have killed you when I had the chance!" She looked out of her bars that were keeping her locked in the cell. She saw keys hanging over a table. She reached for it but of course she could not reach it. "Damn you! Let me out!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that." A voice said from behind her. She turned around and found standing in front of her, Tomo. (A/N His name is Tomo, he is a Homo) He had cut his hair and dressed up. No makeup or anything.

"Wh-who are you? I know your voice from somewhere...."

"Of course you do. My name is Tomo and I'm no longer a homo."

"AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Aoi screamed an ear-shattering scream. "You're Tomo?!" She asked frightened.

"Yes, and I dressed up just for you." From behind his back Tomo brought out a bouquet of white roses. He tried to give them to her but she kept backing away from him. He finally got the message and placed them down on the floor. "If you are hungry," Tomo said opening the cellar door from the inside. "Then go up the stairs to the left. I trust that you won't try to escape, and even if you do, all the doors are locked and the only key is only in a place where I can find it." He whispered. Then he walked up the stairs leaving Aoi alone.

"Great. I'm stuck here with a guy out to get me. Why does this always end up happening to me?!" She started beating herself up. She looked around for her stone, she had made it into a necklace but the one she was wearing now replaced her necklace. She couldn't find her stone. Had she really left it with Usagi when she was showing it to her? She thought about it for a while.

'Okay, I took the necklace off to show Usagi but did I ever put it back on?' She asked herself. Her answer was no.

"Hal? Hal wake up." A girls voice said. The girl was shaking Usagi to wake her up.

"Huh?" Usagi said, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. She looked up at her waker and then gasped for air.

"Okay, I could try to pick the lock. Now what did Izumi teach me about that?" She tried to remember really hard but she couldn't think of anything. "Just when I need that knowledge it disappears! Come on!" Aoi tried desperately to remember when her stomach growled. She looked at it and then up the stairs. She was hungry, but what if he poisoned the food or something? She had learned how to check for that from Usagi, and luckily she remembered her method of doing that so she got up and walked up the stairs.

"Chichiri! Chichiri!" Usagi and Tasuki were waking Chichiri up.

"What do you want? Its late ya know?" Chichiri's mask was sitting on the dresser next to his bed.

"She's gone again!" Tasuki said.

"And I found this note on her dresser." Usagi said with tears in her eyes.

It read 'The priestess who is under Susaku's main priestesses, Aoi, is with me. She is to stay with me until she loves me. Anyone who tries to save her will be shot down with thousands of arrows. Enter at your own death. There is no way into the castle. Just simply give up now and leave us be.'

"I don't understand." Chichiri said.

"How do you not get it?!" Tasuki yelled.

"She was stolen again?!" Chichiri asked.

"YES!" Tasuki said.

"Where is she? Who stole her this time?!" He asked Usagi.

"We don't know." She lifted up her stone and showed it to Chichiri. "But she doesn't have her power with her, she could die."

"No..." Chichiri said, taking the stone. He jumped up out of his bed and threw his clothes on. He was about to go out the door when Tasuki stopped him. Tasuki had his mask in his hand.

"What are you going to do?! You of all people should know we can't go in there without a plan! What's gotten into you?! You do this every time! You loose your head when she's in trouble, just her! We can't even get into the castle! There's no way in! Use your head Chichiri!"

Chichiri looked away from him. "You're right. But that's only because," Chichiri looked into Tasuki's eyes. "I love her." He said. Usagi covered her mouth, trying not to say anything but she blurted it out anyways.

"She loves you too Chichiri! She loves you so very much!" She told him.

"What are you talking about?" Chichiri asked her. She didn't want to say anything else. Luckily, the girl from before jumped in to save her.

"Hal speaks the truth. Now if you want to save her, I'll get you in, on the way, I'll explain to you what Jen was going to tell you herself one day."

A girl with a short, Japanese, fighting kimono on was standing in front of them. Her kimono was blue and purple and had a sash tied at her left side. She had shorts under her kimono so she wouldn't have to worry about it flipping up. She had on sandals that were comfortable and didn't make a sound. She also had on some arm guards made out of bamboo. Her hair was pulled up in the back with chopsticks, but some fell in her face in the front. She had a few clips in her hair that made her look cute. She had a choker on and an anklet on as well. She had ninja like swords and throwing knives. She was shorter than everyone there but that didn't matter. Without her unknown powers she was almost as strong as Tasuki and Chichiri. But with them, she surpassed them both, even put together.

"Who are you?" Tasuki asked.

"Our one hope to save my friend." The girl said.

"Your friend?" Chichiri asked.

"Guys! Don't you remember her? That's Izumi!" Hal exclaimed.

"Izumi!" Tasuki exclaimed. He looked her up and down. He saw stars around her like she was shining. Izumi noticed this.

"Hey! I may be cute but I can still kick your butt!" She said getting in position.

"Oh. It's not that! When did I say you looked cute?!" Tasuki teased.

"Shut up you jerk!" She yelled. She was about to punch him when Tamahome and Taka entered the room.

"What's going on in here?!" They asked at the same time.

"Ahhhh....... Taka, Tamahome, you came looking for me! You're so kind." She ran up to hug them. They hugged her and felt Miaka, who was standing right behind them, sending daggers at them so they let go. They looked at her.

"You guys don't remember me either? That's just so cruel." She said pouting.

"No, uh, of course we remember you!" They said in unison again. Taka and Tamahome looked at each other. Miaka appeared next to Taka out of nowhere.

"I'd know her anywhere. Its Izumi right?" She looked at her with an evil eye. Then she grabbed onto Taka. That made Izumi mad but she didn't show it. Taka just looked at Miaka.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm keeping you to myself." She said smiling a wide smile.

"You're always going to have me to yourself, Miaka." Taka said. That hit Izumi like an arrow through the heart. She sat in a corner drawing things on the wall for a couple of seconds not facing the others. She didn't want to seem rude so she was trying to get rid of her anger and sorrow in those few seconds.

"Are you okay Izumi? Taka asked.

"I'm fine." Izumi stood up and walked to the door without looking at anyone.

"Izumi..." Tamahome said.

"Never mind me. We have to save Jen." She said looking at the floor then looking out at the night sky.

"Are you sure your ready?" Chichiri and Tasuki asked.

Izumi grinned and turned around. "Lets rock!" She exclaimed. (A/N that's one of my favorite phrases and I just wanted to try it out.)

TO BE CONTINUED