Chapter 21

"Meg! What are you doing? What's going on?!" Aoi exclaimed.

"Sorry Aoi, but you've been tricked." A voice said from above her head. Aoi looked up to find Soi hovering above her. "Chichiri, I see you found Ashitare." She continued. Aoi looked behind her to find the beastly thing that killed Nuriko in the story was holding Chichiri.

"What's going on? What have you done to my friends?"

"You're friends? They are only Miboshi's droids. They are not real. You're friends have been long dead." Aoi's eyes widened and she started tearing up.

"You-you're lying! They aren't dead! They can't be!"

"I'm afraid its true dear." Soi drifted down in front of Aoi. She lifted her head with on finger. "Oh you poor thing. You must feel awful. After all, your friends are only dead because Nakago loves one of you fools. You will soon be joining them."

"You killed them because he loves her?!" Chichiri yelled.

"Yes, I can get very jealous. Jealousy can kill. So I presume you are the tramp that Nakago claims to love right? What did you do? What kind of magic did you use on him?!" Soi screamed in her face.

"I didn't do anything! I can't help it he's attracted to me and not you!" That caught Soi off guard. She bit her lip and slapped Aoi across the face, hard.

"You bitch! How dare you say he doesn't love me! How dare you say you didn't do anything?! You stole him from me all of a sudden! What does that tell you?!"

"She didn't do anything!" Chichiri testified. Soi looked over at him.

"She didn't do anything huh?" She started walking in his direction. Yume turned Aoi around to watch. Emi was tying Aoi's hands together around her back.

"What are you doing Soi?! Don't touch him!"

"Well, it is only fair that if you steal a boyfriend, a boyfriend of yours will be stolen, right?"

"I didn't steal him! I don't even want him! You can have him!!! Take him back please!!!"

"Now that is just rude. Stealing something you didn't even want in the first place. But you know, I have always wondered what it would be like to kiss one of the Suzaku seven, why not find out now, huh?" Soi leaned up into Chichiri's face. Chichiri moved back. "What, are you afraid of me?" Soi asked.

"Frankly, I prefer not kiss the enemy or ugly people. Sorry but you're just not my type, ya know?"

Soi's face twisted into an angry frown.

"Okay, fine. Miboshi!" Miboshi was at her side in a second. She whispered something in his ear. Soi walked over to Aoi and Miboshi threw up a smokescreen. There were sounds and screams and when it finally dissipated, Aoi emerged, victorious with her stone. Soi was on the ground unconscious. Emi attended to Soi's wounds and Yume came after Aoi.

"Yume, please stop! I don't want to hurt you!" Aoi said jumping through the air. Yume kept following, blood flying through the air as she jumped. "Chichiri what do we do?!"

"Wait a second Jen!" Miboshi attacked Chichiri.

"No!!" Aoi cried. She blew Miboshi and Ashitare away with the power of her stone and ran to Chichiri's side. "Chichiri! Are you alright?!" Aoi held him in her arms. "Chichiri, talk to me!" She pleaded.

"Jen, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, the question is, are you alright?" Aoi leaned in closer to his face.

"I will be when you give up the act."

"Huh?" Chichiri sent a wave of chi at Aoi. It hit her in the face and she was pounded against the wall. "Damn, how did you know?" Soi asked.

"I know my Jen, I will always know when it's her."

"Well it doesn't matter. Your precious priestess is dead."

"Oh really?" Chichiri asked doubtfully. At that moment, the real Aoi stood up behind him.

"No, this isn't happening!" Soi flew towards Chichiri. Her lips were on his before there was time to react. Before he could push her away, she was hit with a wave of chi.

"Stay away from my man! I told you I don't want Nakago! You can have him!" Aoi stood in front of Chichiri.

"Oh yes, you are so generous! I don't want you to give him to me! You would be doing me a favor and I don't accept favors from enemies!"

"Well that's too bad now isn't it." A voice said from behind Soi. She turned around to see two figures standing in the doorway. Tasuki's figure and... Tamahome's?! Soi knew something bad was about to happen.

"Don't move!" Soi grabbed Aoi with one arm from behind and had a lightening bolt ready in her other hand. "If anyone of you moves, I'll kill her!"

"Put the lightening bolt down Soi." A voice said. She looked up above her and saw Nakago gazing down at her.

"Lord Nakago! You came to help us!" She exclaimed.

"No, I came for the girl. Let her go." Soi's hopes were shot down. She growled under her breath.

"I will not let her go! The whole reason she's here is to be killed! Nakago!"

Miboshi tried to speak to Nakago as well. Nakago shot chi through his hand at him. Miboshi disintegrated.

"That fool. Why he would help you, I don't know. Along with that fool right there." Nakago aimed at Ashitare but before he could shoot, Yume kicked him and used her stone to obliterate him. She fell down afterwards.

"Yume!" Aoi yelled.

"I got her!" Tasuki ran to Yume's body. He got zapped by Soi when he did. "Aughhhh!!!!" Tasuki landed near Yume's body, about two feet away. He reached for her hand. "Yume...." He whispered.

"Hm?" She answered.

"Ya, ready to go?" He asked. She looked at him, tears in her eyes and nodded. He pulled her close to him and another lightening bolt was shot at them.

"NOOOO!!!!!"

"Tasuki!! Yume!!"

Huddled together, they slowly disappeared.

"Noo.... Why! Soi! What have I done to you?! Nothing! Why do you still insist on killing my comrades?! My friends?!?!"

"We are enemies and always will be. That is how life is. It is my job to fight you and your job to fight me. The strongest will be named victorious." Soi formed another lightening bolt. "I guess I win!" She yelled.

Aoi closed her eyes, ready for the pain to fall upon her.

"NO!!!!" Emi yelled. She ran towards them and pushed Aoi out of the way just in time but was hit by the lightening bolt herself. "AAAIIIIEEEEE!!!!!" She hit the ground with a cracking sound. Tamahome ran to her side but she disappeared before he could reach her.

"You'll pay!!!" He charged at Soi but Soi easily destroyed him; with a wave of her hand, many lightning bolts struck him at the same time. "Jeni, I'm coming..." He whispered to himself before he himself disappeared.

"BWAHAHAHA!!!!!! I am invincible! No one can beat me!" Soi declared. Nakago appeared in front of her. "Ah, my prince, you have come back for me at last!" Soi leaned in to kiss him but Nakago sent a sword through her stomach before her lips touched his. "Nakago?"

"I will never let your foul lips touch mine in this life time." Soi's world fell apart at that moment. To have the one she loved so much, reject her so completely, she just couldn't handle it. One last scream escaped her lips and she faded into dust. Nakago looked at Aoi and found her crying on the ground and Chichiri comforting her. He looked up at Nakago and sent him an evil glare. Nakago got the message and left.

"Why? Chichiri, why is this happening? Why? Why does this have to happen this way?" She cried.

"It's alright, let it all out."

TO BE CONTINUED