A/N: Sorry about the long wait for another chapter, just getting back into the school swing. And yeah, you can bitch at me about it…-sob- I deserve it!
Disclaimer: Raikku of the Darkness doesn't own Shaman King or any of it's characters. She does own Raikku, Rayna, Kage, Loki, and any other future characters and/or weapons you've never seen or read.
BTW: The Shaman Tournament in this fic will start after Rayna's third shaman battle, which is after Yoh and Ren's.
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If it Takes Forever
By Raikku of the Darkness
Chapter 8: Silent Truces
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"WHAT?" a voice screamed from a room in the En Inn. A female voice. A very angry female voice. Which cancelled out the pleas of another female voice for her to calm down. But who listens to Tamao anyway…
"What do you mean a draw?" Rayna screeched at Yoh. It had been an hour after his fight with Ren and his cousin had been quite confused as to his opponent, of whom she considered a most hated enemy, had been brought to the Inn.
Yoh scratched his head. "Well…"
"It means draw!" Ren interrupted. "You know, meaning neither of us won nor lost, nitwit."
"Who are you calling a nitwit, NITWIT!"
"You little bast-"
"Hey, hey." said Rayna's brother, Kage. "We know our father!."
You could see the sparks in the eyes of the two ebony haired teens. Then, the ghost, Raikku popped from her sanctuary.
She turned to her charge. "Rayna, please, young Ren is a guest and is to be treated with respect-"
"Ha! At least someone around here knows that!" said the Chinese shaman, a smug smirk creeping over his face.
"And Ren," Raikku continued, turning to him. "This where you will be staying, so you will treat all other's here with respect, understood."
Ren crossed his arms and turned his back. "I don't have to listen to you."
"Me either." Rayna added.
2 seconds later.
"Oww!"
"Let go, you wench!" Two ghostly hands had found their way around both of the shamans' ears and just so happen to pulling.
Raikku was still smiling just as she was two seconds ago. "Now, you two are going to listen to me and will not fight under this roof." She leaned in close to their ears. "Understood?" she whispered menacingly.
Both nodded in fear of losing an appendage.
Yoh, Kage, Amidamaru, and Bason looked like they'd seen a ghost.
"She's scary…"
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"Party! Party! Party!"
"Shut up, Horo-Horo!"
Yes, as you know, the Ainu brother and sister team of Horo-Horo and Pirika had been living with Yoh off and on ever since Yoh's fight with Faust. And today was the day of Yoh's victory party.
"He's quite the animal, eh, Raye?" Raikku giggled as the group watched sugar-high Horo do a little jig to non existing music.
Rayna rolled her blue eyes. "Animal? He's an idiot."
Sparks… again. Where's the fire department when you need them?
"What's that supposed to mean?" yelled the Ainu.
"You know what it means." She smirked.
Horo pouted. "You better be glad I still think you're cute and will go out with you."
"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!" exclaimed the girl, a fit of giggles erupting behind her. "I wouldn't go out with you if you were the last boy on Earth!"
Kage leaned into Horo-Horo. "I wouldn't believe her. She's desperate."
5 seconds later…
"Get her off! Get her off!" Kage screamed as Rayna was on his head, punching the poor teen. The navy-haired shaman was but a blur as he ran in a circle, Yoh and Horo-Horo in toe, screaming for Raye to let go and don't hurt the simpleton that was her older brother.
Across the room, the guardian ghosts of the warring shamans sat dumbfounded at the scene unfolding before them. Suddenly, the Chinese warlord, Bason, put an arm to his brow.
"I've never seen the young master enjoying himself so much!" he exclaimed, tears in his eyes. "It does my heart good!"
"Enjoying himself?" the samurai known as Amidamaru yelled questioningly.
Raikku cocked her head. "How can he be enjoying himself?"
Bason sniffed a final time. "Heh…" he began. "The young master's smile is subtle and he's never had anyone to talk to."
His brown eyes looked at his master. "But now…he has friends with whom to celebrate a common success."
"Sigh. It's good…to have friends."
Amidamaru closed his eyes. "…Yes"
"Oh!" the female exclaimed, latching herself onto the arm of the China-man. "I'm so happy you consider us friends, Bason-kun!"
A bright-red blush could be seen underneath the armored helmet of the ghost. "Uh…"
BAM!
A well aimed kick hit Bason in the head. "Unhand my woman, you mongrel!" Loki exclaimed angrily behind him.
"Loki!" Raikku gasped. "That was mean!"
He turned to her. "I'm sorry, my dear. It had to be done. No man will ever touch my woman."
"She's not your woman!" roared Amidamaru, a hand on the hilt of Harusame.
Loki also placed his hands on the curved blades, Nisshoku and Gesshoku, that rested on his either of his hips. "I beg to differ." he hissed in a quiet voice toward his opponent. The atmosphere in the very room seemed to change as the two glared menacingly at each other.
"Hey! Um…" the group turned to look at the pink haired girl in the doorway. Tamao's face was a bright red as she was very shy. "Um…Um, excuse me!"
She lifted up her infamous notebook and pointed the characters that said:
"Excuse me, but the hot springs are ready, so please take a dip."
"Yay!" Yoh, Rayna, and Kage yelled excitingly while the others in the room were basking in the glow of confusion.
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And so, the night at the En Inn wore on. And by spending time in the same place, little by little, the group got to know each other a bit better. And they were calm…
"What's up Ren? Leaving already?" Yoh asked the Chinese shaman as he mounted his steed. The boy's golden eyes looked at him. "Well, you're welcome to stay another night.
"Hmph." replied Ren. "Don't be ridiculous. I only stayed here last night out of curiosity. I can't slack off endlessly, unlike you."
"You going back to China?"
"Yes. There are matters I need to resolve. I lost sight of my goal in our battle. I need to center myself again."
"Ren…"
"Don't worry about me." he interrupted. "I still have one goal." The horse turned to face the brunette.
"You are the only one who has ever beaten me and that will not go unpunished." the boy smirked. " We will meet again in the tournament, I promise you. Until then, stay well."
Yoh chuckled. "You too." The horse trotted toward the gate and was about to leave when…
"Hey, Ren!" Yoh yelled, running up to him. "Can you do me a favor?"
Ren sighed. "I'm not going to the store for the demonic wretch you call a fiancé."
"No, no." Yoh waved his hands. "I was wondering if you could keep an eye on Raye for me?"
The shaman screwed up his face. "Keep an eye on her? Isn't that girl here with you?"
"No, Raye left about ten minutes before you. She has to be in Budapest, Romania by tomorrow for her last shaman battle."
"That idiot brother of hers is still here."
Yoh smiled and scratch his head. "She left without him."
Ren growled to himself. "Keep an eye on her? She can take care of herself!" he thought to himself. He opened his mouth to speak but his counterpart beat him to it.
"See, Raye has a tendency to get into tons of trouble…"
"You're telling me."
"And she will speak her mind. That can be a blessing and a curse, you see."
"So you want me to help her keep her mouth shut?" questioned Ren, impatiently.
"To be blunt, yeah." the shaman laughed. Ren sighed.
"I guess."
"Hooray!" Yoh exclaimed happily. "I owe you, Ren."
Ren lead his horse toward the gate once more. "Hell yeah, you do.
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The stillness of the night had just settled as Rayna Kishami made her way down the dirt back road of Funbari Hill. Her midnight black hair dancing in the wind, the only sound was of her rather large…ok, huge suitcase being dragged behind her. She let out a tired sigh.
"What was I thinking leaving without calling a cab?" she thought out loud. The girl dropped the handle and sat on top of her bag. "How could this possibly get any worse?"
The sky let out a roar of thunder and began to release her bounty. Her cold, watery bounty. And, may I add, that it fell very hard. Very hard indeed…
"Great…just GREAT!" she screamed at the top of her lungs at no one in particular. She pulled up the hood of her jacket over her head and tucked her head into the crook of her arm. "I'll never get to Budapest now." Rayna fought back tears. She was Rayumi "Rayna" Tsuki Yuna Aireon Giselle Asakura-Kishami! She fought boys, girls, and evil villains (in video games)! Nothing was too bad for her.
The thunder clapped again. "Thanks, you're a big help." Suddenly, Rayna heard a car pull up in front of her. She lifted her head and her cerulean eyes met amber ones.
"Well, well, well. Look how the mighty have fallen." laughed Ren as he looked at the girl covered in cold water.
She glared at him. "Look, if you've just come here to taunt me, Mother Nature's already doing it."
"I as much as I would love to laugh at you, I've promised your cousin that I'd look after you." he opened the door in front of her. "So, get in."
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The cab followed by a single white horse pulled up to the doors of the Tokyo International Airport. The driver got out and opened the back door for the pair that sat there. The boy exited first, paying the man, followed by the girl. The driver bowed politely to the both of them, then moved to the back to get their bags. Once he retrieved them, the man bowed once more and reentered the cab and drove away.
Rayna began moving toward the automatic doors. "No, this way." Ren corrected, walking toward the open gate to the right of them.
"Why?" Rayna questioned. "The entrance is this way."
"My family has a private jet here for me." he said nonchalantly, not turning toward her. "You can come aboard until we reach Beijing, I've made arrangements so you will continue onto Budapest on the plane."
Rayna was wide-eyed. "He did all that…for me?" she thought to herself.
"Are you coming or what?"
She shook her head and ran after her new traveling companion.
"Ah, Master Ren!" a large woman with rosy cheeks exclaimed as Ren and Rayna entered the Tao jet. She had a large smile plastered on her face. "I'm glad you've arrived safely!"
"Thank you, Hiana, but we must take off ASAP." The boy said, removing his wet jacket and handing it to a butler. Rayna did the same.
Hiana bowed. "Yes, Master Ren." As the woman lifted up, she noticed that her young master wasn't alone. "Oh! I didn't know you had a guest! And a female guest, at that!"
"Uh…" was all Rayna could let out as she was dumbfounded at the fantastic plane.
"This is Rayna Kishami, my charge for now." Ren interjected. "She will be with us until we reach Beijing, then you will continue on with her to Romania, is that clear?"
"Yes, master." said Hiana hurriedly.
"Wow, Ren. Your family must be loaded!" said Rayna, finally.
Ren chuckled. "We get by. Come let's sit so we can take off."
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"Would you like some milk, Master Ren." Hiana said, offering a bottle of white liquid to him.
"No, thank you" He replied and turned back to the window. It had been about an hour since he and Rayna had take flight and they would be in Beijing in a short while. For that hour, however, he had the most fun he'd ever had… Watching Rayna be wowed be the flying funhouse that was the Tao jet. First, she toured the cockpit, and almost got the Japanese Air Force on their tail. Then, they watch a in-flight movie, which was stupid to her, and popcorn was thrown at a rapid rate. Now, all was quiet as it was the wee hours of the morning and Rayna was asleep.
Ren removed his eyes from the window to look at the sleeping form across from him. Ebony hair caressed the creamy skin of her face; a light smile across her lips. The shaman's lips curled up slightly. "When that mouth is closed, Rayna looks…cute." Ren mentally kicked himself, shaking the thought from his mind. "Girls are but annoy creatures." he told himself. But why couldn't he look away from the sleeping girl? Was he gaining a crush? No, no, he couldn't be. This was Rayna "annoying wench" Kishami, Asakura's cousin, an opponent, a girl, a loud-mouth girl. But he couldn't deny that she was a strong fighter, girl or not, that she was independent, smart, funny. A girl…
A very cute girl.
"Ugh." Rayna moaned as she lifted her head from the seat. She placed a hand to her mouth and yawned. She looked over at the boy across from her…who just so happen to be staring at her.
"Why are you staring at me?" She questioned, throwing a inquisitive look his way. "Did you do something perverted?"
"What!" yelled Ren. "Please, girl, I've looked at trash more interesting than you!"
"Don't hate because you only look and not touch."
"Oh, please! I wouldn't want you!" he said, crossing his arms. "Besides, I already have a girlfriend,"
"Phhft." Rayna spat. "Yeah, right. What's her name?"
Ren froze. "Uh, uh…"
"Master Ren?" the pilot called out. "We've reached Beijing."
"Yes, good." said Ren. He made a mental note to give that guy a raise.
"Well, I guess this it, eh?" said Rayna as she and Ren bid each other goodbye.
"Yeah, I guess." The two were silent.
"Uh…Thanks a lot, Ren." said the shaman, shuffling her foot into the ground.
Ren looked at her. "Don't thank me, thank Yoh."
"Whatever," Rayna turned into the doorway to the jet. "But don't think that this makes us friends."
Ren smirked. "I wouldn't have it any other way." Rayna smiled over shoulder and entered the jet.
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Rayna sighed as she leaned back in the chair. She watched as the airport disappeared beneath clouds.
"That was really nice of Ren, hm?" Raikku asked, floating next to her charge.
"I guess so."
"He's kind of cute."
Rayna rolled her eyes. "Raikku, grow up. Boys are only a distraction…"
"A really cute distraction."
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Nisshoku: Solar Eclipse
Gesshoku: Lunar Eclipse