Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten's Excellent Adventure ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"Ano... My name is Mizuno Ami, and I was wondering if you knew where Taiki Kou was?" said Ami to the girl who opened the door.

"Uh... Taiki-san isn't here right now..." Yui said trying to find something to say quick. "Have you tried his place? He must be there by now..."

"That's just it..." the blue hair girl replied. Yui could see she was worried and that the girl was fighting not to cry. "I've just come from his apartment he isn't there and Yaten Kou isn't there either. I've tried calling but all I get is their answering machine. I even went to their recording studio just in case he and Yaten were practicing and they weren't there, either. They are not at the night club they hang out, too, either."

"Oh! I wish I could help you but Taiki-san isn't here and I really don't know where he is..." Yui lied. She hated to lie to this girl but she had no choice. She couldn't tell her Taiki Kou was now in an ancient Chinese novel.

"Are you sure? It's so much unlike him to act this way... I do hope he's not in any danger" Ami told her.

Uh? Yui thought, how come she knows so much about Taiki-san, where he lives, his phone number, his routine... unless...

"GYAAAAAAHHHH!!!! YOU MUST BE TAIKI-SAN'S GIRLFRIEND!!!!" yelled Maika loud enough to alarm the entire dorm. Not wanting to cause a scene from angry fans, Yui grabbed Ami and pulled her into the apartment. She quickly closed the door and not a moment too soon. Girls were getting out in the corridor to ask who was the mystery girlfriend of Taiki Kou.

"Miaka! Please! Not so loud!" whispered Yui trying to calm her down.

"Okay, okay... " whispered back Miaka. She then turned to Ami with stars in her eyes. "So you're really Taiki-san's girlfriend... He talked about you but he never told me your name..." Miaka, with lightning speed took out her notebook and started to scribble on it asking Ami questions.

"Your name, blood type, height, school you go to..." said Miaka.

"Ara..." started Ami.

"Miaka! Please. You're embarrassing me! Leave this poor girl alone." Yui said angrily to Miaka. She cleared her throat and smiled to Ami.

"Well, since Miaka started a commotion, maybe you better sit down. Would you like something to drink? I was brewing some tea."

Ami sat down on the couch near the book. "Oh! If it isn't too much trouble... " she said.

"No trouble at all..." replied Yui. She started to go into the kitchen but when she saw Miaka take out her notepad again, she grabbed her by the nape of her neck. "Oh no, you don't. You're coming with me." Miaka started to protest but Yui dragged her into the kitchen. While the two girls were arguing in there Ami heard a familiar voice.

"Ami-chaannn..." whispered the voice. It was...

"Taiki!" Ami stood up and looked around. Where was he? It sounded like he was close. Ami turned around and saw the book that was on the couch and the book was glowing. Ami couldn't believe it. She was probably hearing and seeing things. The disappearance of Taiki was getting on her nerves. She then saw the cover simmering. She saw Taiki's face, his arms outstretched to her.

"Ami-chan... Help me!" Taiki asked with pleading eyes. Ami grabbed the book. The image faded. "Help me... Amiiii..." The voice had stopped.

"Tai-chan!" cried Ami. Already tears forming in her eyes. Without hesitation she opened the book. The first thing she saw was an illustration of a beautiful woman in ancient Chinese clothing, but she resembled Taiki when she was Star Maker as thought she were her twin sister. Just then Miaka and Yui came back from the kitchen.

"No, don't read... " Yui started, and Ami disappeared. "... the book..."

"Oh no! What are we going to do now?" whined Miaka.

Ami thought she might have had a fainting spell because she had a headache and she seemed to come to. She heard the familiar voice of Minako, Rei and Makoto. She felt weird, as though next to her body. I must have fainted, she told herself, seeing that image moving on the book. I must have imagined it. I was so worried when Taiki didn't call last night I couldn't sleep. That must be what caused me to have a hallucination. She sighed and tried to open her eyes.

"Look! She's coming to!"
"Thank the gods, she did receive a rather nasty bump..."
"Give her some space and watch it. You're stepping on her hair..."

Stepping on my hair? No one seems to be close enough to do that, she thought. She opened her eyes and gasped. She, along with Minako, Rei and Makoto where in some sort of dark cell. Those two girls didn't seem like they were bad people. What was she doing here?

Then she realized the girls' clothes were weird. They all looked like that picture of the woman who looked like Taiki. She let out a surprised gasp when she saw she was herself a similar sort of clothing but what almost sent her fainting again was that her hair... her hair was so long. She stood up rather fast and found out her hair was even longer that she was. She felt dizzy.

"Woah! Mizuumi-chan you shouldn't get up so fast!" The brunette told her.

"Ah... You are right Mako-chan... Gomen ne..." The girl looked at her with a weird expression.

"Mizuumi-chan? What did you just call me?" said Inazuma.

Ami was startled. There was Makoto, Rei and Minako but they looked different. What was going on? I remember the book then waking up here.

"Mizuumi-chan, are you all right? You look disturbed?" said Kiniro, the one who for Ami looked like Minako.

"I... What am I doing here?" Ami asked.

"You mean you don't remember the attack?" asked Akari. Ami shook her head at the raven hair girl. Akari looked at the other girls worried but explained to Ami how they got where they were now.

At sunset, the small rescue group arrived at Midori's household, where they were greeted by a young man. Taiki gasped. If not for the hair color she could have sworn she could see Yaten as a guy. Midori ran up to him and hugged him.

"Lo-kun! Brother!" she said. Of course, thought Taiki, in this reality her twin brother didn't die. Then this Yaten never saw her family die, she thought, then maybe this is how Yaten would have been like if she never lost her family, so loving and full of life. It pained her that her own Yaten didn't have that choice.

"If you are that happy to see me wait 'till you see who else is there." Her brother smiled and side stepped. Midori let out a small gasp of joy.

"Kitsune-sama!" Taiki looked up and saw a man with red hair, dressed in a richly manner with embroidered silk. He smiled at Midori as she rushed to kiss him. Taiki smiled. It was without a doubt they were pretty much in love with each other, the way they kissed without a care as to who might be watching. Taiki then made a strange parallel... They almost looked like Usagi and Mamoru. Midori introduced him to everyone present and then she introduced her family and then later she stole away with Lord Kitsune and wasn't seen before the next morning.

During the evening Mihat, Midori's father informed them that he had sent guards to secure the hidden tunnels that lead to Kusanagi Castle. Mihat, although now past his prime, still had a warrior's hand and heart.

"Kusanagi, my boy..." he said. "Let me come with you... I am still a tiger that wants his share of the dragon."

"Mihat-sama... I would like to bring you with me but I need to keep you here with your son, just in case things don't work as they should. We need you to make sure that my cousin doesn't have the chance to attack the Emperor's palace." replied Kusanagi.

Mihat looked at his son. "Hai!" he sighed. "I understand but still I wish we could have a piece of the action."

"Don't worry, father," replied Loutus. "I am sure we will do battle with his forces. I know Akurei and his arrogance, and from the talk of the townspeople he will strike soon."

"I just hope we can rescue the Tsuki no Miko and her priestesses." said Kusanagi.

"Hai!" replied Mihat "and restore you to your rightful throne, my Lord. The people have no liking to your malevolent cousin. They mourned you bitterly when they learned of your death."

"I am ashamed to have had to hide myself. I hope the people can forgive for that..." said Kusanagi.

"I think they will." said Loutus. "I even think some of them already know that you were the Kishi no Kuro Bara..."

Taiki retired herself early in the evening to the room they had given her for the night. She lay down on the bed. She grabbed a pillow and hugged it dearly. Seeing Aoi and Midori with people they loved made her ache for Ami. "Ami-chan, I miss you so..." she whispered holding the pillow as though she would Ami. "I wish you were here and in my arms... " She softly cried herself to sleep. Coming out of the shadows, Makoto sat next to her bed. He brushed away a few strands of hair and dried her remaining tears.

"Do not worry, beautiful nightingale. Never again shall someone make you cry so... I promise..."

Back in the dark cell, Akari, Kiniro and Inazuma, silently understood that the blow to their Mizuumi's head must have been worst than they feared, for she didn't remember who she was. Just then the door to their cell opened. Ami gasped. A girl that looked exactly like Usagi was roughly shoved forward by a man with white hair. Even though he didn't have an inverse black moon symbol on his forehead Ami recognized his face: Prince Diamondo. The other girls called him:

"Lord Akurei! What have you done to the Tsuki no Miko!" asked Akari hotly.

"I? Nothing... But I will do something to one of you, if your precious Miko won't agree to marry me..." Akurei replied.

"I will never marry you!" replied Shiori defiant.

"Think about my proposition. You have until tonight or I will personally torture your priestesses one by one until you accept..." and with that he closed and locked the door behind him.

Shiori started to cry. All the girls except for Ami went to comfort her. Ami was still analyzing the situation and had even tried to transform, but it seemed she couldn't. The girls told Shiori not to listen to the blackmail of Akurei, that they would gladly sacrifice themselves. Shiori could not be wedded to such an evil man.

Ami bit her lip. What have I gotten myself into?....

"What are we going to do?" wondered Miaka out loud. Yui gasped as she looked outside. It was raining and the rain was black.



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"Ranma-chan? What are you doing here?" Ranma-chan froze. Oh no, just what I need, Akane.

"Nihao Akane. We look for Seiya Kou who now looks like girl!" said Shampoo. Ranma cringed, oh please don't tell me she just said that...

"WHAT??? Weren't you suppose to take care of this problem Ranma?" growled Akane.

"Actually, Akane-chan," started Ryoga. "This time isn't not Ranma's fault..." and Ryoga told Akane what went on during the day. That Shampoo, jealous that Seiya was a rival for Ranma's attention, had used her brainwashing shampoo formula on her. The brainwashing shampoo also had the effect of changing color in the sun.

"So you're telling me Seiya Kou has a different hair color and thinks he's somebody else?" asked Akane as calmly as she could.

The three of them nodded. Akane took her dress from them and marched into the store. After several minutes she came back out.

"Okay, she now has blonde hair and she bought a blue and purple ensemble that consists of a purple mini-skirt, pink knee high socks and a blue tank top. She also bought a matching blue and purple jacket she wore on top. When last she was seen, she was heading toward the mall..."

"H-How did you get that information?" gasped Ranma-chan.

"Simple... I asked the clerk of the store if she had seen my sister who had run off with my dress and our dad's wallet. I told her that she took the money without ' our dad's ' consent and that I really needed to get a hold of her... I told her she was last seen at a beauty salon and that she probably had dyed her hair and that I didn't know what color..." replied Akane.

"And she bought that? I'm impressed!" whistled Ranma-chan.

"She went to the mall? How are going to find her? Now that school is finished do you have any idea how many girls there are at the malls at this time?" asked Ryoga.

Both Akane and Ranma were stumped. Shampoo's eyes lid up.

"Shampoo got idea!"

Seiya was tired but had finally found a red bow, and some nice accessories to go with her new outfit. If the girls could she me now, she thought. Hey come to think of it where is everybody? Seiya passed next to the information booth and saw where she was... Nerima? What the heck am I doing in Nerima?... Oh I know I probably went to see... what's his name? Yaten? No, that's not it... Taiki either... it's... That's weird. For some odd reason I can't remember his name. Oh, it'll come back to me eventually...

Seiya wanted a place to sit down. All that walking around had made her tired. She headed for the central part of the mall knowing there she would find some bench to sit on. When she arrived there, she saw there was a commotion. Someone was selling something. Seiya, who now thought she was Minako, was curious to know what was this all about.

There were a couple of girls selling the merits of a brand new shampoo.

"Yes, Ma'am, this shampoo is wonderful for blonde hair!" said Ranma-chan.

"It will turn your hair into golden silk!" added Akane. Seiya looked at her hair... Hum, maybe I should give it a try.

"We will demonstrate it here. All we need is a volunteer and she will receive a free treatment..." Ranma-chan had just finished uttering those words when a group of teenaged girls arrived near the stage crying:

"Pick me! oh! Oh! Pick me!" Ranma-chan looked through that crowd and, sure enough, a blonde Seiya was among the girls waving to her. Ranma-chan gestured to Ryoga who went into the fray of girls and went to 'pick' Seiya. Ranma-chan and Akane then congratulated her and made her sit in the chair. Then Shampoo did her thing. She wet Seiya's hair and lathered the specially formulated shampoo. Seiya felt sleepy and closed her eyes, while Shampoo was rinsing her hair. Akane was drying Seiya's hair when she started to snore. Ranma-chan eyed the whole operation suspiciously. Ryoga was looking at them but he had a question on his lips.

"Excuse me, but isn't his hair supposed to turn back black?"

"Hai!" said Shampoo "Shampoo don't understand... bottle says formula no 765... is good bottle. Mousse bottled it yesterday for me..."

Ranma-chan eyes grew wide. "Did you say Mousse?" Shampoo nodded. "Was he wearing his glasses at the time?"

Shampoo thought, no, he didn't have his glasses on, Akane understood instantly. "He's more near-sighted than a mole! If he didn't have his glasses on he must have switched the bottles!"

Ranma felt again the impeding doom over her head. Akane took hold of the situation, "Maybe we should wake her up and bring her back to the Neko Hanten and do this all over again."

Before Ranma-chan could stop her, Akane nudged Seiya. Seiya didn't move an inch and continued to snore. Ranma was about to stop Akane when she saw that the girl didn't wake up. Akane shook her again this time with more insistence, to no avail. Seiya wasn't waking up.

"Shampoo? Are you sure you didn't give Seiya-san a sleeping shampoo?" asked Akane.

"Silly, Akane... There is no such thing as sleeping shampoo..." replied Shampoo.

"Oh, because a Brain-washing one is normal?..." said Akane getting slightly mad.

"Is no Shampoo's fault if Mousse made mistake!" replied Shampoo angrily.

"You know, we wouldn't be in this mess if you weren't so jealous, you know!" yelled Akane.

"Uh... Girls, I don't think we have time for this!" started Ryoga.

"You should talk, Akane... So beat up girls that run after my Ranma..." yelled back Shampoo.

"Since when is he YOUR Ranma?!" yelled Akane.

"Listen, girls, I really think..." started Ryoga. "Butt out!" the two girls yelled back. Ryoga backed off, sitting next to Ranma-chan who knew better than to get involved when these two argued.

Seiya stirred in the chair. She opened her eyes and looked at her watch.

"OH MY GOD! I'M SO LATE!!!!!" She yelled so loud she stopped the argument between Akane and Shampoo and made Ryoga and Ranma jump with fright. Seiya got up and started to run.

"Omigod, omigod, Rei-chan is going to be like so mad at me she's going to fry my butt. I better hurry back to Hikawa temple on the double..." Ryoga, Ranma, Akane and Shampoo were speechless as they saw Seiya dash toward the train station, as though running the 500 yard dash.

"Well, don't just stand there!" yelled Ranma-chan. "Let's run after her!!!"

Meanwhile, back at the Neko Hanten, Cologne was meditating, relaxing before the evening customers came for dinner. Her eyes shot wide open. Her lower lip trembled. She looked outside. It was raining a little but as she looked closely, the rain was black. She quickly ran into her room and opened an old cherry wood chest. Inside she took out a small velvet bag. Reaching inside, she took a clear crystal ball. Balancing it on her cane she exposed it to the rain. Almost instantly, the clear crystal ball became jet black as though perverted. She let it go with a loud crash. It confirmed her suspicions. Demons were behind this. She didn't know why, but she had to give to Ranma and that Seiya her ultimate cure all. She took one of her bottles and raced downstairs. She waited until the rain stopped then told Mousse he was to close the shop and to run to the Tendo Hall.

Seiya ran to the train station that was connected to the mall. She got a train ticket to Tokyo. The woman at the wicket told her to hurry because the train was almost ready to leave and she closed her booth. Seiya dashed yet again not listening to Ranma-chan and the gang that was slowly catching up to her. She jumped on the train. As she did it started moving. She sat down but didn't know why she couldn't shake the sense of dread she felt.

Ranma cursed as she saw the train leave. The panels announced that was the last train to Tokyo. They could never catch up with her. Just then Cologne arrived.

"Great grandmama!" said Shampoo.

"Here!" she said giving her potion to Ranma-chan. "This will cure you and Seiya of all the things that trouble you. You must take a dose for each thing that hails you. Use it sparingly I only have four doses." started Cologne.

"Grandmama, why do this? Shampoo thought..." she was cut short as her Grandmother gave her a bundle of silk with what looked to be weapons inside.

"There is no time to explain. Know just that we can no longer play that game... The fate of the entire world hangs in the balance... Tendo Akane you must return to your home, and help protect it. Don't argue; just do it. I will rejoin you and so will Mousse." snapped Cologne.

Akane didn't answer but somehow she knew the old woman was saying the truth. She nodded and started to run toward her home.

"Akane!" said Ranma, who had turned back to normal after drinking a dose of Cologne medicine. Akane turned back to face him. "Please... be careful..." he said.

"You, too..." she replied, and she headed to her destination.

"Ranma, it is imperative that you give Seiya the medicine... I sense in her great power and she will need it but it is blocked by my medicine. Her battle aura is immense and it will be needed. Do you understand Ranma? Find her and give her one dose for each thing that was done to her. Ranma, the time is grave... I will help the Tendo fight that which is coming, but you three must go into the heart of it and extinguish it before it takes over our plane." And with that Cologne disappeared, following Akane.

"Hey! Wait! Tell us what's going on?" Ranma shouted he saw Shampoo's face as it became pale. "What wrong Shampoo?"

"These are very ancient weapons, have been in family for many generations... Weapons to kill demons..."

Ryoga gasped. "Is that what's waiting for us in Tokyo?"

"If you want to help Akane Ryoga I understand. You don't have follow us..." said Ranma calmly.

"No, I'm coming with you! You might need someone with my strength and technique... but how are we going to get there?" said Ryoga.

"Thanks. I appreciate it Ryoga. Now on how to get there... I have a plan... Follow me!" having said that Ranma headed toward the exit, followed by Ryoga and Shampoo.



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"You...you win... I will change back. Just release them!" pleaded Yaten. The second corpse falling to the ground. The demon smiled. This was too easy. Only two dead and already the girl was ready to surrender. Almost no challenge there.

"Then do it, now!" he ordered her. Yaten gulped. Not wanting another death on her head, she uttered her henshin sentence.

"Healer Star Power Make up!" There was a flash of light and dancing stars and Yaten's body changed into that of her female self.

"I've done what you asked... Now release them!" she yelled.

"Not so fast my dear. You are in no position to make demands... I still need one last insurance my precious little star... " The demon gloated. He opened his hand and a cup and knife appeared. Smiling, the demon took the knife and the cup hovered under his wrist. He slashed his own wrist with it and blood started to pour out of his wound and into the cup. The demon then reversed his movement and his wrist was without any injury. He approached Healer. She saw that the demon was interested in her right wrist.

"What are you doing?" she asked trembling.

The demon smiled. "You'll see soon enough..." He took the knife and slashed her wrist. Healer yelled at the searing pain feeling her blood flowing through the wound filling the cup. With a sharp gesture, he slashed again in the opposite direction. She gritted her teeth but it was over and her wound had disappeared. Even the tear in her leather glove didn't show.

She then saw the demon utter some cabalistic words, weaving magic into the blood. Healer watched helpless in morbid fascination. The demon incorporated different elements in the blood. Some of them Healer couldn't recognized, they looked so alien to her in nature.

The demon then took the cup to his lips and drank half of its contents. Licking his lips, he turned to Healer. With a gesture, the tentacles that held her made her advance toward the demon. Shacking her head, closing her eyes, he raised the cup to her lips.

"DRINK!" He ordered her "Drink! Or else all these geese will suffer greatly before they die and I will make sure you stand and watch..." Healer didn't want to drink the foul liquid. She knew it would bore her no good news if she did.

"Drink!" he told again. "I won't ask another time... Or I'll torture them so much you will beg me to kill them..."

Healer had no choice she knew this beast had a short temper and she also knew he didn't bluff. She opened her mouth and he tipped the vessel making the liquid run down into her mouth. The taste was revolting. She almost gagged and spitted it out. But the gaze of the Demon told her she better not do that or else the girls he held captive would suffer the consequences. She swallowed not knowing what disgusted her more, the vile liquid or the gloating laughter of her captor. She was forced to swallow the last drop. As soon as she did, she yelled out in pain. Her entire being was like it was on fire. Sweat broke through her pores as she felt her bowels burn as though she swallowed fire. She agonized, writhing even if her body was held capture. Then it stopped as suddenly as it had started. Her vision blurred as she saw the demon open a portal and the girls enter it like sheep in a slaughterhouse. She fought to stay conscious until the last girl entered the portal. When she saw the portal closing she couldn't fight it any more and her body went limp.

Michiru was talking about her day with Setsuna when she heard her shriek. Turning around, she saw Setsuna in mid air, a magenta glow around her. Her costume of Sailor Pluto appeared as well as her Time Staff. Hearing the blood curdling yell, Haruka arrived running into the kitchen and grabbed Michiru, pulling her away from the other woman. Setsuna's face was frozen in a horrible deformed rictus of surprise and pain. What they saw next made their skin crawl. Sailor Pluto's Time Staff started to fall into dust, as well as her costume. Then Setsuna fell to the floor naked her face still held in that horrible grimace. Haruka took her jacket and put it on her. helped by Michiru they then placed her on her bed.

When this was done, Michiru gasped. "Mo!..." she said. Haruka turned around to where she was looking prepared to jump on any enemy lurking in the shadows. But she wasn't prepared for this. Outside rain had started to fall... a black rain.

Rei was outside raking leaves. She didn't like that. Ever since the start of class she had felt uneasy as though something horrible was about to happen. She heard the phone ring. Leaving her rake, she ran inside the house. She was alone but something told her she better answer it.

"Moshi-moshi?" she said as soon as she took the receiver to her mouth.

"Rei-chan?..." replied a voice. Rei knew it was Usagi. "Have you seen Ami-chan? I'm worried."

"No, I haven't seen her... Why?" Rei asked.

"Well she was concerned over Taiki-san... You should have seen her at school today, Rei-chan." Usagi paused trying to calm herself but Rei could clearly hear she was crying, worried sick. "She didn't pay attention to anything. Mako-chan and Minako-chan are here with me and they'll tell you if you don't believe me. She even skipped the last class. She told me she would and she did it. Rei-chan, there's something more... the school where Yaten was going for the week. All the students disappeared, Rei-chan. We all tried to reach either Taiki or Yaten but we couldn't reach any of them. Ami-chan was supposed to come an hour ago, and she still hasn't come back.... " Usagi suddenly stopped gasping.

"Usagi-chan! Usagi-chan! What is it?" In the background Rei could hear Mamoru, Makoto and Minako also gasped. She even heard Artemis and Luna hiss.

"Oh my God!!!" Minako had said.

"Moshi-moshi... Usagi... USAGI!" Rei yelled on her side trying to get back Usagi's attention.

"R- Rei- Rei-chan... l-look outside..." Usagi croaked. Rei looked outside through the window. She almost fell to the ground. It was raining outside... but the rain was black.

Kurama, Hiei, Yuusuke and Kuwabara were revising their strategy one last time when they heard Botan cry out in pain. They rushed to her side she was convulsing, her eyes staring off into infinity. Through her convulsions she said.

"Link to Reikai... severed... no... darkness is falling from the sky... No it can't be!" That's all they could learn from her as her body stiffened and her face contorted into a scream... a scream that produced no sound. Yukina started to feel faint and slumped to the ground, but before that could happen Kuwabara had caught her. Kurama felt sick. He turned around to take some fresh air. He froze horrified. A black rain had started to fall and Kurama could feel it starting to destroy the plant life around Master Genkai's house.

Healer came to. She felt drained of some of her senshi powers. She started to feel as weak as the day she had done battle with Galaxia. She saw monstrous leeches on her, and she knew by the horrible glow they casted that they weren't sucking her lifeblood but her Senshi energy. She lifted her head defiantly. She saw the Demon gloating at her.

"Well rested... I suppose?"

She would have told him to go to Hell... but that would have been pretty stupid, since she thought they were already there.

"What have you done to me?" she asked whispering.

"Me? My little waning star, I haven't done nothing to you... What the energy leeches are doing well that's an entirely other subject..." he replied nonchalantly.

"That's not what I meant..." she gasped angrily. "What was that stuff you made me drink?"

"Oh, that?" replied the Demon as though it was nothing. "Only my life insurance... but why tell you, when I can show you..."

And with a sharp talon, he slashed the skin across his chest. Healer's eyes grew wide as she felt a burning pain across her own chest. She looked down unbelieving but forced to believe because of the pain. She had the exact slash across her own chest and she could see the blood spilling from her open wound.

"So you see, if your friends hurt me... they hurt you. What do you think of my little insurance policy? Oh and I'm afraid that if they kill me I won't be alone... sweetheart... Oh and this is the cherry on top." He paused and reciting incantations, Healer could feel her wound closing up. She could feel the magic work on her and she looked on the Demon's chest. His own wound was closing up as well as hers. Healer looked into the amber eyes, the horrible realization registering in her brain.

"That is right... if they heal you they heal me..." he smiled. "Only true death will shatter the spell... and I'm afraid that's quite permanent..."

"I-I'm not afraid of dying" replied Healer. She wished she could have said it with more determination in her voice.

"Maybe... but will your goody-two shoes friends have the guts to kill you..? I bet they won't..." He laughed in her face, as she tried to wiggle herself free of the tentacles. But she felt weaker and weaker by the second, while the Demon seemed to become even more powerful.