Hi all! It feels like forever since I've talked to you guys! But anywhoo, thanks to all my reviewers and special thanks to LadyGoddessCeres for all her well appreciated help (you are the very best!) and check out her fic. It's muy bien! Damn, Spanish class is sinking in…
Disclaimer: Raikku of the Darkness doesn't own Shaman King (unfortunately) or any of the delectable characters it homes. Why must the Fates be so cruel?
If it Takes Forever
By: Raikku of the Darkness
Chapter 6: A Family Affair
"-You and your 1980's American music! I'm sick of it!"
"But Father-"
"Go to your palace!" voices from the television say. Rayna, Manta, Yoh, and Anna watching and laughing at the show.
"Rayna, what is this?" Manta asked, wiping a tear from his eye. Rayna, who had been rolling on the floor, sat up.
"It's Family Guy. It's an American show. My dad bought it for me on a trip to Washington D.C."
"Really?" asked Yoh, looking away from the show. "I didn't know you've been to the Americas."
Rayna looked at him. "I don't tell you a lot of things."
"That baby has the right idea." a voice we hadn't heard from said.
"What do you mean, Anna?"
"I mean," she began. "that taking over the world thing, it's pure genius."
Anime fall.
The group was regaining their composure when they heard laugh from the other side of the room.
"Shut up!" Raikku laughed playfully, hitting her male counterpart on the arm. "You play too much!"
"It wasn't my fault you fell into horse poop!" he laughed. Ever since Amidamaru and Raikku reunited, they had spent every minute of Rayna's visits to the inn together. Laughing, talking, and overall remembering old times. It was cute!
"Oh, get a room!" Rayna sighed at the two.
"Shut up, Raye." Raikku replied.
"You shut up!"
"You shut up!"
As the two bickered, something shot into Yoh's mind.
"My next shaman fight is in a few days." he whispered.
"What!" Rayna, Raikku, Amidamaru, and Manta exclaimed, looking silly. Rayna and Raikku were hitting each other while Manta and Amidamaru held them back; the little boy had the young girl's shirt and the samurai had his friend around the waist. Rayna yanked her shirt away as Amidamaru let go of Raikku. She turned head, hiding a blush, as Amidamaru did the same.
"What do you mean?" Manta asked.
"It means he's going to sit down to tea with this guy. What do you THINK he means!" exclaimed Rayna.
"Lord Yoh," Amidamaru began, covering his current predicament with this question. "do you even know who our opponent is?"
Yoh thought for a moment. "Some guy named Fraust or Faro or something."
"And that's why Yoh and Rayna are going to train."
"WHAT!" Rayna and Yoh questioned.
"Why do I have to train with Yoh? You aren't my trainer!"
Anna rolled her eyes. "Because I got this letter in the mail yesterday." she said, holding out the piece of parchment. Rayna snatched it and read:
"Dear Anna, Do you remember me? Of course you do! I'm Kage, Raye's bro! Ok, dudette, I need you to do me a favor. Could you maybe train my uber annoying baby sister until I get there. Oh yeah, I'm coming! I'll bring you something nice. Later!"
The paper shook and Rayna's eye twitched furiously.
"Rayna," Manta asked "Are you ok?"
"Something…" she began. "something EVIL is coming!"
Yoh was confused again. "What? It's just Kage."
"Just Kage!" she exclaimed. "My brother is the most evil, diabolical, monstrous (A/N: Rayna used big words!) creature to walk this planet!"
"Is he that bad?" Manta asked.
"Yes!" the female shaman said as she grabbed her jacket. "And I'm not gonna be here when he gets here!" The girl was on her way out the door when a necklace of beads mad its way around her neck.
"I don't think so." Anna said, dragging the girl back into the house. "Yoh, if you please, meet me outside in five minutes with ghost-boy and Harusame. Raikku, come on."
"Ok, remember what I said, Yoh." the itako yelled to our favorite brunette shaman. "Spirit Unity first, then, Spirit Control. Got it?"
"Yeah." Yoh replied as he readied himself for the battle. Although he didn't show it, he was eager to see what Raikku and Rayna could do. Amidamaru had said that Raikku was one of the best fighters he had ever seen and even though she was a woman, she could beat the best of the men (and won many a bet doing so).
"Alright cousin," Rayna began, a sly smirk coming over her face. "don't go easy on me."
"Why not?" he questioned.
"Because I'm not going easy on you."
"Ok! Yoh-" Manta yelled, thrusting two fingers into the air. "-Rayna…"
The two smiled at each other. "I'm going to beat them." they both thought to themselves.
"FIGHT!" the short boy yelled, bring his arm down. Yoh was the first to move.
"Amidamaru!" he yelled, spirit ball Amidamaru appearing by him. "Integrate!"
"Raikku! Integrate!" Rayna yelled. The winds died down as the two finish their fusions.
"Heh, I guess this is where we come in, eh, Amidamaru?" Raikku laughed.
"I guess so. Let's put on a show, shall we?" he replied. The samurai drew his blade and, in turn, the Naginatist drew her own. It was a long wooden pole, perfectly polished seeing that it shined brightly in the evening sunshine. On the end, was a blade. Straight coming from the pole, then getting larger and curving in the middle.
The man charged, sword pointed and ready to strike. Raikku stood in her same place, ready for impact.
"Egh!" he yelled, swinging his weapon at the woman. Her blocks were swift, like the wind; You couldn't see her movements. On his last swing, Raikku leaped into the air, flipping round once and landing lightly on an outstretched Harusame.
"Well, well, well. I had forgotten how quick you were, Raikku." Amidamaru said, holding the sword with both hand. Despite Raikku's size, she was very light. The girl shook lightly, gaining balance wearing her sandals, while standing on tippy toes (A/N: Hey, you try thinking of something while your little sister tackles you!).
"If you think this is good," she said lending closer to his face. "You haven't seen anything yet."
The samurai retracted his blade and the woman jumped backward, landing in front of him with ease.
"I guess it's my turn." she brought the Naginata in front of her, then moved it above her head. "Sakura Gekido!"
Raikku began to spin her weapon, faster and faster with each turn, picking up wind. Soon a pink tornado, filled with sakura petals, surrounded her and engulfed the area in the sweet smell of the spring flower. The wind tunnel, eventually, surrounded Amidamaru, blinding him.
"Hm, what is this? Use your senses." he thought himself. Closing his eyes, he listened for Raikku. His eyes shot open when he heard something close to right ear.
"Got ya." Raikku whispered into his ear, her arms holding the hilt of her Naginata over his shoulder.
Amidamaru laughed. "Not quite." The man grabbed her wrists in surprise, pulling her over his back and shoulder.
"YAHHHH--ugh!" she screamed, impacting the ground. Her friend kneeled over her, his face inches from hers.
"I think I've won."
"Ohhh, my back!" Rayna moaned as she walked with her friends the next day.
"Sorry, Rayna." Amidamaru and Yoh apologized for the millionth time that day.
"Don't apologize." Raikku joked. "She needs a good butt whooping."
"You know," Rayna said as the group walked out of the school doors. "If I could lift my legs up, I kick you in the-"
"Sooo," Manta said quickly changing the subject. "What did you think of the math test today, Yoh?"
"Math? Test? What blasphemy do you speak of?" he replied. As Manta yelled and Rayna cursed Raikku with every name but a child of Buddha, a loud, mechanical roar filled the air and the children covered their ears.
Vroom! A blood red motorcycle jumped from over the fence and slid in front of Yoh, Manta, Rayna, and their spirits. The bike's operator turned of the motor and rose from the seat. He walked a short way toward the group and loosed his helmet. The removed helmet revealed a seventeen boy. He had tan skin, navy blue hair, and brown eyes. He wore a white t-shirt with baggy jeans and a yellow checkered bandana round his brow. His most interesting feature was his unibrow which seem to be dishonor his very handsome face.
"Finally, I've found you." He said. Yoh looked at Manta and Manta at Yoh.
"Are you Faust?" Yoh asked.
"Not you. Rayna." The boy said. The two looked at their friend. Her eye was twitching again.
"Baby Sister!" the boy yelled, tackling the obviously smaller girl.
"Kage?" Yoh questioned. Raikku looked like she'd seen a ghost.
"No…you…" she stopped. "Is Loki here?"
"Of course I'm here, my love!" a voice from behind the woman said. She turned and said in a fearful voice, "Hi, Loki."
The ghost, Loki, was about Amidamaru's height with silver hair covered by a helmet. He wore a long silver jacket with gold outlines, buttoned to the torso revealing matching dark blue pants underneath. At his waist were two twin swords.
"Raikku, my love," he said, grasping the woman's hand. "I've missed you so."
"Uh, yeah, Loki." Raikku replied, looking very nervous. Behind her, Amidamaru was steaming. You could practicality see the steam radiating off his. Ah, yes, the green-eyed monster has reared his ugly head.
"Who is this?" Loki finally asked, his brown eyes looking toward our favorite samurai.
"Oh," Raikku said, silently thanking Buddha. "This is Amidamaru, my best friend!"
Raikku interlocked her arm in Amidamaru's, hoping that he would protect her from her personal stalker.
"Nice to me you." Loki said, reaching out his hand. The samurai grabbed it and Loki whispered in his ear:
"Stay away from my woman."
"Your woman? I don't see you name on her." he whispered back.
When they both drew back, you could see the sparks from their eyes and they both tried hard to break each other's fingers.
"Oh, Baby Sister, I've missed you!" Kage said, holding Rayna in a choke hold, swinging her about.
"If you missed me so much, you'll have a heart attack if you kill me."
"Oh, Rayna! You look adorable!" Raikku exclaimed. Rayna was wearing a pink button-up dress with white ruffles underneath. On top of her head was a matching pink beret.
"Yeah, Raye," Manta choked out, while he, Yoh, and Kage laughed their heads off. "Your mom has good taste."
"I look like a Catholic schoolgirl!" she exclaimed.
"That's were she got it!" Kage began. "See, St Agitha's is going out of business…"
"I am not wearing this to Yoh's fight!"
"Yes you are and you are going to like it!" her elder brother yelled.
"You wear it!" she yelled back, throwing the beret at him.
"Why you little…"
As the two wrestled and Loki began taking bets on who would win, Raikku disappeared to the roof where her "best" friend sat.
"Hey." she said to him, arms behind her back. His brown eyes looked from the sky to her.
"Hello, Raikku."
"What are you doing out here?" the woman asked, sitting next to him.
"Nothing, just…remembering"
The two sat there, in peace, enjoying each other's company.
"Do you remember your promise to me, Amida-kun?"
"Hmm?"
"Your promise? Do you remember it?" Raikku repeated. He began to think "Ah, yes. That promise."
"Amidamaru?" A fifteen year-old Raikku said, leaning on a sixteen year-old, lavender hair boy.
"Yeah?"
"Can you promise me something?" Amidamaru sat up.
"Anything."
"Will you always protect me?" the boy froze. "She wants me to do what?" he thought to himself.
"You…are my best friend. Closer than my own brother was to me. Your like family." Raikku began. "And if I were injured or close to death-"
"Don't talk like that."
"No, let me finish." she began "If I were injured or close to death, I-I would want you to help me because…you and Mosuke would be…my brothers."
"Raikku…" Amidamaru said, wrapping her into a hug. "I will always protect you…I swear to you."
"I remember. The promise I couldn't keep." he looked down.
"Amidamaru…" Raikku began, moving ever closer to her friend. "you did what you could. It's not your fault I didn't listen."
"I should have been the one to take that arrow."
"No, because," said Raikku, her hand moving to touch the nape of her neck. "if you did, you would have ruined the plan of the King of Spirits."
"King of Spirits? Raikku, what are you talking-"
"It doesn't matter." Raikku said, rising to her feet. "Whatever happened, happened. And as long as you are here, I'm ok."
A noise from the ground below signed that Rayna and Kage were leaving.
"Oh, Raikku, dear!" Loki's voice called out. "Time to go!"
"I don't like him." Amidamaru spat. Raikku laughed.
"Don't tell me the great Amidamaru is jealous?"
The samurai blushed. "Of course not!"
"Good." Raikku said. "Because I have no use for a weak man."
Bones Everywhere.
Howling Wind.
The Last Resting Place of the Dead.
Such a place was the site of Yoh Asakura's second shaman fight.
With a devil.
"Yoh!" Rayna screamed as her cousin fell. She rushed to his side.
"Rayna," he sputtered. "I lost."
"I know." her eyes filled with tears. "Don't worry! You'll win the next one."
"Eliza…" a voice across from them said. The man, Faust, was holding a skeleton.
"My dear Eliza ist kaput!" he yelled.
"What the-" Rayna yelled.
"Look out!" a ebony haired Native American, known as Silva, screamed at Rayna and Yoh. "Faust isn't finished! Yoh, Rayna, RUN!"
Rayna gasped. "Yoh, look!" the female shaman pointed to Faust.
The madman smiled. "Heh, heh, heh…I'll kill you."
"You broke the only woman I ever loved."
Rayna leaped to her feet. "Not while I'm here, you won't!" she said, activating her oversoul. Her Naginata radiated a red light and at the end, near the blade, was a big bow; Raikku.
"I'll turn you to carrion…" The earth began to shake and the broken skeletons move. "With the 20-ton Calcium Giant!"
The bones of the fallen skeletons rose from the ground, stacking on top of each other until a huge giant monster of bones stood before the two shaman.
"Die!"
"Tenshi Hinansho!" Rayna yelled, and from her weapon, a white dome covered Yoh and herself.
"It's not strong enough!" Silva yelled.
"Yoh!" Anna screamed.
WHAM! A blast from behind destroyed the skeleton, sending Faust flying. Its attacker landed just in front of a frightened Yoh and Rayna.
"Brittle Bones." he said. "They didn't drink enough milk when they wer alive. I drink three glasses a day."
"Who the hell are you?" Rayna fussed, taking down her shield.
Yoh sat up. "You!"
The boy had piercing golden eyes and familiar pointy black hair.
"I can't let you die yet, Yoh. You're my next opponent."
"You are my next opponent…Tao Ren?" Yoh asked.
"I am, but apparently, this little girl fights your battles for you." he laughed. Oh no.
"Little girl?" Rayna spat. "I am not a little girl, little boy! I can prove it by making you my new boot!"
"Oh really?" Ren asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Yeah, wanna see?"
"Yes, I would."
"Then, come down off that fat, ugly horse!"
The Chinese boy glared at her. "No man, let alone girl, has ever spoken to me in that way. Who is this girl?" he thought to himself.
"Hmph. I don't have time to play with you. I have better things to do."
Rayna frowned. "Then, poof, be gone!"
"Raye…" Yoh started "Don't test him…"
Ren smirked. "Don't tell her, Asakura. She'll learn."
Rayna growled. "Till next we meet, Yoh Asakura." And with that, Tao Ren turned his horse around and galloped away leaving Yoh to think and an angry Rayna to brood.
So, what did you guys think of my first fight scene ever? Please review!
1. Sakura Gekido- Cherry Blossom Fury
2. Tenshi Hinansho- Angel Santuary