Disclaimer: As always I don't own Shaman King. And I must apologise most wholeheartedly for the long and unbearable wait. Sumimasen.
Ice is nice: Tohru's very emotional when she wants to be! I think we can forgive Hao with all the important putting fear into the hearts of shaman across the world thing he has to do.
Kaioma: Don't worry about it. It's always great to have new reviewers and its nice to know all the different people reading the story!
Pendulumxswing: Its definitely a hard one it's very clear that Hao has emotions, you could see in his eyes how hurt he was when Opatcho ran away from him scared it was very sad. Anyway you'll have to wait and see. I think that however much he may love her he has been waiting a 1000 years for this tournament so it could still be the first thing on his mind, who knows. Oh yeah I do hee hee well you'll just have to wait!
Godoflight: Well here it finally is after the long wait hope you enjoy it!
Andrea Nefisto: We'll have to wait for that. As the saying goes the course of true love never runs smooth, but then is it true love?
Mikauzoran.: AAA someone who understands my plight. Well hopefully the updates should be more regular after this. I think from now the story is probably gonna get darker than before with all the events within Dobi village
Silver Fox trot: wow a devoted reader I like that! Sorry I haven't updated before now.
Kari moon: You'll have to wait until the end to see what happens!
Haruka: it needs kissing and she's one of those overly emotional people when she's in love you know a lot's happened in her life
Mew shauzia: jeez don't get your knickers in a twist some people are so impatient!
Devil shaman: I won't disappoint however my friends are gonna have to help me write it cuz otherwise it wood be really crap!
Sweetlips: I know isn't it cute...she must have some will power though!
Aquatic mage: wow, Rufus hurried me along so here is chapter 18
Crimson moonlight and bloody rain: thnx, sorry for the long wait
Alicia Peralta: I am so sorry, but a lot of things have been happening in my life recently and then I got writers block, I knew what was happening but putting it down just seemed impossible.
Hao- addictive: OMG. Such an enthusiastic person, I check my account and I was shocked by the sudden increase in review, thank you so much for saying I'm a good writer, it means a lot to me!
"If life knocks you down know that there is always someone beside you to help you back up again and when you find that person, hold on and don't let go because they will always support you."
The night drew in as they set up camp once again but this time they were in reach of Dobi Village. Not that they hadn't been before with Hao around they were always just a Hells breath away but he insisted that they do this properly so he could keep an eye on his brothers progress.
Since Hao had proposed to Tohru she had shocked him by refusing to sleep in the same tent as him and had taken to staying with Opatcho much to Hao's dismay. He had taken it in his stride and tried not to show his frustration every time he tried to get more intimate with her only to be pushed away again.
Tohru sighed as she lay on the ground staring up at the star covered night sky she knew why her fiancé was stressed out but felt it would be best to wait until they were properly wed which wouldn't be long now. She absent mindedly twiddled with the ring on her finger, a lazy smile found its way to her face as she thought about Hao. Someone nudged her side with their toe and Tohru opened her eyes to see a man who looked extremely carefree an innocent beaming down at her.
"Thinking about me I hope" Hao whispered into her ear.
Tohru's cheeks tinged pink briefly at his closeness and hoped he had not noticed but she had no such luck.
"So adorable he whispered into her ear.
Tohru realised to late that he was trying to seduce her and had to scrabble away from him before he entranced her.
"NO" she shouted with mock serious, "Absolutely no monkey business until we are married"
Hao hid his disappointment quickly and smiled at her.
"The reason I came my beautiful fiancée is because I have to tell you that we are but a few hundred metres from the caves that lead to Dobi Village and we will be performing the ceremony at dawn tomorrow" his face darkened when he felt a clenching feeling in his stomach. What am I thinking, she'll be fine we already worked it out she has more than enough Celestine Furiyoku.
"So my love you must prepare, there's a sort of ceremony that I devised to go with it. You get naked as part of it" He said with an uncharacteristic hint of sheer mischief gleaming in his eyes.
Tohru looked at him, trying to pretend she was mad at his perverted outburst but failed miserably and instead stood up and allowed herself to be escorted over to the main camp area where he began to explain the ceremony.
"It basically involves you placing your hand over my heart and willing me to have your furiyoku, when I begin to glow with a white light you pull your hand away, okay?"
Tohru nodded and stood up. She walked over to Opatcho.
"Opatcho can you fetch my towel from the bag in my tent"
Opatcho hurried off to the far side of the camp.
"One more thing Tohru. When we get to Dobi Village I need you to make sure you don't wear any of the star stuff you have on now, that way you'll be free to wander without being hassled, don't mention your with my group and avoid the X-laws at all costs I don't want anything happening to my bride to be" Hao kissed her quickly on the lips then walked off to talk with other members of the group.
Tohru walked off clutching her towel to the river over the hill. She removed her clothes and folded them neatly and waded out into the deepest part. Ellena appeared on the rivers edge and Tohru smiled.
"I wondered when you'd come back, I take it you managed to sort out your problems"
"Yes." I spoke to Aki for the first time since the night we both first died.
"Do you want to talk to me about it?"
"Not the whole story, but I do have a few things to talk to you about." Ellena glanced briefly at Tohru, then resumed talking, "Getting married I'd hardly have believed it before we started our journey, I can see you love him it has nothing to do with family honour, your doing what your heart tells you to. I did that once and those were some of the best days of my life."
Tohru submerged herself down to her shoulders, watching Ellena as she talked.
"I certainly don't want to create a depressing atmosphere especially with you so close to Dobi Village but, I have to tell you this, once a long time ago I was married to a wonderful man, he and I both shared great power but it corrupted him, he tried to take the world for us, and he almost destroyed it instead. I understand that you and everyone else in this group believe with every breath in what you are fighting for but you must promise me that if the time comes and Hao is corrupted by the power that you will do everything in your power to stop him, because instead of helping the world he could eventually destroy it."
Tohru watched Ellena as she finished speaking then waded out of the water to wrap the towel around herself.
"Ellena I appreciate your concern but I can't see him ever doing that."
"I didn't think my husband would turn like that either, just promise me please."
"OK, Ellena I promise."
Tohru got dressed, quickly pushing their talk to the back of her mind. She wandered slowly back to camp, everyone was talking animatedly as she entered the circle around the fire. As she sat down everyone started cheering for her.
"We all wanted to thank you for what you are doing, giving Hao your Celestine furiyoku, so we decided to have a sort of party, some people bought alcohol but they won't let me have any because they say I'm so small" Opatcho said standing on a log seat next to her.
Tohru beamed at everyone as she was handed a beer. Tohru had never had alcohol before and as such was extremely wary so she kept her drinking to a minimum. By midnight the only sober people were Hao and herself. Everyone was asleep lying sprawled where they had dropped the night before. Tohru lay sound asleep in her tent whilst Hao lay asleep in his.
The next morning they all awoke early to pack. Soon they were heading to the blue caves where the entrance to Dobi Village lay. All of Hao's followers except Tohru and two brothers who weren't in the Shaman tournament had passed through into the deep blue to begin their test, already informed by Hao of exactly what it entailed they were all sure to pass. Hao needed Tohru's special and rare furiyoku to trick the king of spirits into letting him into Dobi Village.
They began the ritual for Tohru to pass her furiyoku to Hao. They stood opposite each other by the pool, Tohru raised her right hand and Hao using a small knife cut across from the base of her fifth finger to the base of her thumb Tohru winced as the red liquid dropped to the dusty ground. She held her hand over the pool so that her blood mingled with the sparkling water. Next she placed her hand over Hao's heart and closed her eyes.
She reached deep within her soul and found a vast sparkling silver pool that she realised must have been her furiyoku. She took a hold of it with her mind and imagined it passing through her body and into her fiancés heart, she felt a sudden jolt and saw in her mind her sparkling silver furiyoku mixing with Hao's deep red furiyoku. She opened her eyes and they both watched each other silently as she felt her furiyoku slowly being drained.
"That's enough" Hao whispered to her.
Tohru went to take her hand a way from his chest but it wouldn't budge. She tried to pull it off and seeing the distress in her eyes Hao assisted.
"TOHRU, LET GO" he hollered at her but it was no use, the tears streamed slowly down her face as they both realised what was happening, her furiyoku had bound to well with Hao's and the couldn't separate them. Her furiyoku was continuing to flow into Hao's body.
Tohru felt light headed and found she couldn't focus properly. With her other hand she reached out and touched Hao's face weakly before her whole body went limp and she dropped to the ground separated from Hao, not breathing.
Seripa: THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY. ANYWAY REVIEWS ARE WELCOME FLAMES AREN'T RUFUS IS STARVING SOSEND HIM A NICE JUICY REVIEW TODAY. I'M SORRY THIS CHAPTER WAS SO SHORT!