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Chapter 5

Daichi jump up with his sword fired up with his mana as well as Amidamaru and slam down on Rei. Mana was the amount of power a shaman has. Rei quickly use his spear to block the force. He flung Daichi off and Daichi landed smoothly on the ground. Rei quickly appear out of nowhere in front of Daichi. "Minagi Blast!" Rei shouted and a mass of very sharp weapons appeared out of thin air. They headed straight at Daichi. He didn't even flinch and smiled. Amidamaru quickly turn into a shield and blocked the attack. They both smirk and watch the other one carefully as if daring them to attack first.

Meanwhile, Akira and Yuki were having their own practice fight. Yuki's crystal pendulum shot out of its case. A very long black wire was attached to the crystal pendulum. Chloe was inside the crystal pendulum. Yuki has train with it for years so he could control the wire with speed, power and accuracy. Akira had ace his skills with his snowboard and could ride in the sky with it as one of its skills. Yuki's pendulum wraps itself around Akira. Akira quickly rode the cold air and jump out of reach. The pendulum gain speed and came closer and closer. Akira spun around; making a small blizzard that surrounds him. The pendulum halts and went back to Yuki. Akira waited for he knew that this was Yuki's strategy to let his opponent lose his guard.

"Come on, guys! When is it my turn yet?!" Charlie complains from the sidelines.

The gang was at a large grassy field. The sun was out and there were no dark cloud in the light-blue sky. There was a soft breeze that floated in everybody's faces. The fresh green trees sway gently to the wind. There were a few large boulders that spread out on the field. They were near Seaside Village, a small village near the southern coast of the Demtra region.

Annie kicks Charlie from his spot on a smooth rock near the others. "Pipe down! They don't need you complaining. It's really annoying, so shut up."

"Don't worry. You'll get to fight soon," Serena said sweetly. The practice fights were all of the girls' doing to train the boys. It could have been worse, the boys all thought.

"Get away from me!" a girl scream from nearby in the trees.

The boys quickly look at each other, nodded and ran towards the voice with Annie and Serena following. They follow the sound and soon came to a gashing waterfall. The water was roaring loudly and there was a steep cliff near the edge.

In the middle was a girl about their age and a gang of three older, larger boys. The girl was slowly backing away from the boys. One was them was thinner than the others but had a very long chain with sharp edges all along the silver chain. The other two had huge muscles along their bodies and they were each carrying a meat knife.

The girl had long straight raven hair that was tied into a side ponytail and was held back by a silver headband. She had a long bang that was loose on the other side of her ponytail. She wore white shorts with dark purple leggings underneath. She had on a purple with white stripes shirt with an open sleeveless mini-jacket that hang loose and purple and white shoes. There was a loose belt that hung from her waist with a small silver hook near her right hip. She was holding her arm and the group could see blood running down her arm from their hiding spot behind some wide bushes.

"Listen, girl. We ask nicely for you to come with us, but you didn't listen." the skinner one smirk and came closer to the girl. "Without your ghost or your whip, what can you do against us?" They all laugh evilly. A long silver whip with a midnight blue handle was wrap around the skinner one's neck.

Daichi and the others look at each other. The girl was a shaman as well as those three boys?! They turn to look closer and soon could see the boys' mana coming out of their weapons, but where was the girl's?

"No way am I going with you three clowns!" the girl yelled, a glare show from her violet eyes. "I wouldn't let you jerks just use my body as you like! Idiots!"

She's quite tough, Rei thought. He suddenly smirks. She is one heck of a girl to still have her guard up even if they have the advantage.

The two bigger boys suddenly lung at the girl. She barely jumps out of reach in time before they crash into her. She slips and lost her balance, making her fall onto the ground. She yells out in pain when her injured arm made contact with the rock hard floor. All three boys were soon walking towards her with evil smirks on their faces.

Perverts, Annie thought.

"Well, well, well. Look at what the cat dragged in." the skinner one slyly said. He seems to be the leader of this gang.

"Indeed, you should. The cat also dragged in some extras," Rei was in front of them like lightning and was holding her spear in their faces. The girl's eyes widen at Rei and his spear. Daichi and the others came out of hiding. The girl gaped at the sight of their ghosts.

They're shamans? She thought.

Rei smirk. "You're a disgrace to shamans, you know?"

The leader gulps and tried glare at Rei. "Who are you? Why do you care what happens to the girl, anyways? You probably don't even know her."

Rei raise an eyebrow at the older boy. "You're right, I don't know her." he admitted. There was a flicker of hope in the older boy's eyes. "But, why does that matter again?" Rei ask.

The older boys fell anime-style. "If you don't know her, then don't help her!" they yelled, trying to make some sense into him. He looked at them blankly.

Is he stupid or what? The girl thought. Is he trying to make me look like a poor girl crying for help? Anger rose in the girl, swift and hot. Well, I never ask for his help so he can be on his way! She rose to her feet. "Look, this is my fight so don't get in the way!" she hisses.

Rei turn his head and smirk. "It sure looks like you could use some help."

She growl at him angrily. "I don't need your help." she repeated forcefully.

Rei held a hand towards her. "Hang on a second, okay?" Rei jump up and aim his spear on the older boys. "Minagi Blast!" he yell and just like before, sharp weapons of all shapes and sizes came shooting down. They narrowly miss the trio who was holding their heads and crying out for their mommy. Eyes filled with fear, the three boys ran as fast as they could out into the trees. The girl's whip lay on the ground. She quickly grabs it and check for damage.

"Pathetic," Rei scoff. He had hope for a better battle, but to no such luck. Bason came out of his spear.

Daichi laugh. "Rei, nobody besides the people you know will give you a fight you would call well."

The girl stood up and glare at Rei. "I could have handled it myself, thank you very much."

Rei smirk and face the girl. "Is that really how you treat someone when they just saved you?"

"I didn't ask for your help, jerk!" she shot back, holding her whip in front of her.

Rei pointed his spear at her. She halted, but after a moment, she glares at him. Meanwhile, the others were all watch with interest. Rei never paid this much attention to a girl before. Daichi and Akira smirk, Yuki smiled and Charlie tried to hold back laughter.

"Hold it right there!" in a flash, a tall ninja girl jump out and was in front of the raven haired girl. Rei lower his spear and swung it over his shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?!" the ninja girl yelled. The others' eyes widen at the ninja girl. Rei had a blank look. Their eyes flicker back and forth between the girl and the ninja. They all sense that the ninja girl was dead but her soul and body was still moving. That means that the girl is a dàoshì. A dàoshì is a spell caster. They awake the dead to do their bidding. Some choose to control the souls while others leave it be and work with them.

"This is my ghost. Her name is Akane Mir Kato." the girl explains.

"What happen when I was gone?" Akane asked. The girl looks at her ghost and strung. The ninja girl fell anime-style. "You were there! And why are all of these people here?! What happen to your arm?" Akane bent down and was examining the girl's bleeding arm.

"I'm fine, Akane. It's not too bad." the girl stubbornly took her arm away. Rei walk over and took her arm. She tried to pull it away, but he had a very strong grip. He walk her over to Annie with Akane following them along with Bason and Shamash.

"Daichi told me you're good at medicine. Could you fix her?" Rei asked. Annie merely nodded and led the girl away with Akane and Serena following.

"So, what happen to you?" Rei asked while sharpening his spear.

Night had fallen not too long ago and the group was around the camp fire that was close to the waterfall. Daichi had a weird feeling about places that look so peaceful in day, but dangerous at night. All of the boys were teasing Rei earlier that day while Annie had tended the girl's arm. When he finally lost it, Rei sank his spear into the ground. A split opening fell upon the ground and swords and spears shot out. The other boys were lock in by the weapons.

The girl's arm was bandaged and she was sitting quietly away from the group with Akane. Rei was sitting on a stump near her. He was the only one that was near her. The others were a couple of feet away from the girl because they didn't know if she and her ghost were trustworthy or not.

The girl looks at him with her violet eyes. "I was traveling until I met those freaks. Akane always goes into a trance every few weeks. It's her way of getting rid of useless energy and filling herself up with power. She couldn't help me then. They took away my whip." she replied while holding up her silver whip in front of her.

"Traveling? Where?"

"I'm trying to find somebody who will help me with my dream." Her head lower and her bangs cover her face.

"Dream?" Rei asked, turning his attention to the girl.

Shamash whacks him in the head. "Ow! What was that for?!" Rei shouted at Shamash who was pointing to something in his big book. Rei stared at what the book said. Be polite to others. Don't say something they might not want to discuss, it said. Crud, Rei thought. His grandmother wanted him to learn some manners from Shamash. Too bad, he never would pay attention to the lessons.

"You know about the Spirit Tournament, right?" When Rei nodded, she continues. "Girls aren't allowed to enter the tournament, only boys can. The Patch Tribe wants a powerful king to rule the world, not some girl. Where I come from, we need help to fight off the people who betrayed our people. Where I come from, we have an arch enemy. The two sides have battle endlessly for centuries. But, what I really want is to have peace between the two sides. I don't want to fight anymore. Many people have died because of this, can't people try to be at peace with each other?" a single tear drop came out of her violet eyes. Rei gulped. He mess up, bad. Shamash gave him a look.

By now, the others were also listening to her story as well. Rei close his eyes before opening them again. They sat in silence for a while.

"I have heard of this." Rei said. "Those two sides are kingdoms, aren't they?" The girl nodded. "By the looks of you, you went to do this by yourself without telling anyone?"

The girl's head quickly shot up. She stares at him in disbelief. "How did you….. How did you know?" she stood up. Rei remain calmly on his stump.

"I don't, but you just confirm that I was right." he smirk at her. She glare at him and unravel her whip.

"Are you one of those people who are trying to take me back?" she growled.

"Calm down!" Akane tried to hold her back.

"I don't even know you. Like I said, I only heard of this. I've never been in your war." Rei stood up with his spear over his shoulder. "I'm Rei Tao. These are my two guardian spirits, Bason and Shamash."

The girl seems to be taken back by the introduction. She narrows her eyes. "Lexi. Lexi Dream."

The others came up and smiled at her. "Hey, I'm Daichi Asakura. That's Amidamaru there." He pointed to the Japanese samurai. Amidamaru nodded.

"Annie Heartfilia."

"Hi! I'm Serena Usui and that is my brother, Akira Usui. His ghost is Corey." Serena pointed to her big brother who grins because to him, Lexi was cute.

"I'm Yuki Diethel. My ghost's name is Chloe."

"I'm Charlie McDonell. Did you hear about this joke? Why did the chicken cross the road to a sea of lily pads?" He gave her a moment. "Because it was fish bait!" The air became cold all of the sudden at the punch line of the joke. Nobody got it. Annie slap Charlie and Rei and Akira sent him flying only to come back landing on the ground. Lexi giggled at the way they were all acting. The others smiled. Akane smiled gratefully at the sight of Lexi laughing. She hasn't laugh like this in so long, Akane thought.

"Friends are good to have, aren't they?" Amidamaru said to Akane.

She nodded. "Always protect your friends. They are your path to your dream."

Rei turn to face Daichi. "Well? Should she join us or not?" Lexi stared at Daichi.

Daichi grin. "Anybody who could make Rei act like this is a really good person! Besides, it will be nice for Annie and Serena to have another girl, right?" At this, he turns to the girls. They both nodded. "You're also a nice person. More importantly, I never seen Rei pay this much attention to a girl before!" A sly smirk came up on Daichi's face. The other boys quickly understand and smirk.

Rei's eyes narrow at his childhood friends. "What are you implying?" He raises his spear. Daichi just grin and held up his hands in defense. Rei glare at them before lowering his spear and turning back to Lexi.

"The idiot says yes."

Lexi nodded and smiled gratefully at the others. She bows. "I'll try to help as much as I can! You can count on me!" she exclaim cheerfully.

She's like a princess, they all thought.

Before she fell asleep though, Lexi laid her blanket next to Rei's. His back was away to her as she lay down softly. "Thank you, Rei. Even if you are an arrogant jerk, I'm glad you help me." she whispered softly so only he could hear her and soon drifted into a dreamless sleep. Rei open his eyes a bit and smile his first real small smile.

Sleep soon came upon all of them and they drifted off into peaceful slumber.