Red Shaman

Bard's Apprentice: I warned you it was incredibly OOC. hehehe. Just wait. Muwahahaha.
Tazzy: Poor Schu indeed.

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The past is the past.
But it shapes the future for all of us.


When Omi, Nagi and Ghost arrived at the door of the training room they heard Farf laughing inside.

“I swear there are days when you are such a contradiction even to yourself, Edana.”

“I know, I know. I shouldn't have told him so much about this mission. Gods, for some reason Chiro just makes me want to babble off everything to him.”

Farf laughed again. “It's because you love him. Not to mention he's the nosiest man I've ever met.”

“You haven't seen Honey on certain days.”

“Thank the gods!” he said laughing. “Come in.”

The three of them walked into the training room to find Farf and Blaze seated on the floor next to a heavily carved wooden box.

“Cop a sit, chibis,” Farf said, motioning the three of them to the floor. “You'll need to be sitting down at very least for this one.”

The three of them glanced at one another nervously but sat down on the floor.

“Oh, stop it, Jeirn. I'm only giving them access to their own power. Much like what happens with you every time.”

“It's okay,” Ghost said. “I trust you completely, Blaze.”

Blaze put one hand over her heart and inclined her head to Ghost. “I am deeply honored, little one. Trust is a hard won thing, especially if it has ever been broken.” Blaze dug into the box next to her and pulled out a small necklace. “I've watched you bloom and grow over the last ten years. I am happy to return this to you and be able to watch you bloom even more,” Blaze said smiling and put the necklace into Ghost's outstretched hands.

Ghost stared at the necklace in her hands. She was almost afraid to breathe on it the workmanship was so delicate and intricate. She gasped a little as she felt the first initial pulse spread from the necklace and up both arms. She looked at Blaze, startled.

“It's okay, baby. It's only giving you back what rightfully belongs to you.”

Ghost looked at both boys. Nagi lifted her hair away from her neck and Omi settled the necklace around her throat and snapped the clasp into place. A faint blue glow spread from where the necklace sat, tracing every line of Ghost's body. Then the necklace seemed to melt into her skin. She trembled slightly and grabbed both boys' hands, holding on to them tightly. Nagi and Omi both felt power vibrate from her down to their bones. Neither one of them seemed to be able to let go of her.

When the glow subsided it seemed to leave the faintest of blue tinges to her hair. Ghost opened her eyes and smiled at Blaze.

“I remember now. Thank you.”

“You are most welcome.” Blaze again reached into the box. This time drawing out a short, wickedly sharp looking sword. This she held out to Nagi.

Nagi grasped the hilt of the sword, thankful that his hand was only shaking slightly. As with Ghost's necklace, the sword began to glow, this time a faint red and seemed to sink into and fuse with his skin. He shuddered slightly and rode the enormous wave of power coursing through his veins. When he opened his eyes they seemed to have taken on a green cast, turning them almost turquoise in color.

Omi hadn't stopped shaking since watching and feeling Ghost regain her temporarily misplaced abilities. Nagi's had been slightly scarier because he seemed to come out of it harder somehow.

“Nagi? Are you okay?” Blaze asked.

He nodded. “Yes, fine.”

His voice sounded deeper to Omi as well. All eyes turned expectantly to him and then to Blaze as she once again reached into the box. Retrieving what looked like a small crossbow. It seemed to be made to mount to the wrist and fire off bolts in rapid succession.

Omi took it, his hands shaking so badly he could barely keep hold of it. Ghost put one hand over his and Nagi mounted and strapped the weapon to Omi's wrist. Again a glow and pulse, this time green. As the weapon fused with his skin fire seemed to spread along every inch of his flesh. Followed what he could have only called a massive lightning strike running through his veins. His eyes flew wide and his body bent backward, forming an almost perfect arch from the floor. He was terrified and didn't seem to have the voice to scream.

Ghost and Nagi's eyes shot to Blaze but it was Farfarello who answered. “He's fighting the power.”

“Why? It's his,” Nagi said, turning back to Omi, muttering soothing nonsense things to him to try and calm him down.

Blaze shot Farf a look and he was up in an instant. He took Omi's head in both hands and simply said “Sleep.”

Omi relaxed back onto the floor still twitching slightly as the power worked it's way through him.

“What happened?”

“I would think that, since he isn't used to having any kind of gifts in this particular life, that he had a major panic attack when it hit him,” Farf said. “Does that sound about right.”

“Actually, it sounds perfect,” she said. “Remember, he has no idea what real gifts feel like in this lifetime other than the residuals he picks up from the two of you. So, he fought it. You know what it is and thereby didn't worry when your gifts were returned to you and your current ones amplified.”

“That's true,” Ghost said, stroking a hand along Omi's forehead. “It nearly scared him out of his mind the first time he heard Nagi and I communicating on the telepathic link.”

“Will he be able to deal with it once he wakes up?” Nagi asked.

“I don't think he'll have any problems. It isn't only the power that's returned but the memories of what everything does and how to best use it to one's advantage. The person Ghost was made certain that was included. The after effects will fade from all of you,” Blaze said, reaching out to touch Ghost's hair. “Much the same as my tattooing does after I reactivate Jeirn's abilities.”

“The three of you will be more or less as I am. You're still yourselves, but you've regained the memories and power of the past lives you lived. So essentially, you'll be both,” Farf said.

Ghost and Nagi looked to Omi who stirred and sat up shakily. When he opened his eyes they had darkened to a rich sapphire blue.


Fill your days and your nights
No need to ever ask me twice oh no
Whenever you want me

Yohji leaned on the shower stall talking to Aya, who was in the shower washing off the blood from a solo mission he had been on. Star had gone to get him because she said she was tired of watching Yohji mope around the house and being utterly pathetic without him.

`I mean, I don't see why not. Considering that Omi practically lives wherever Ghost and Nagi happen to be. And Ken has struck up a really interesting friendship with Farfarello. Which sometimes worries me more than just a little bit but anyway. Not to mention whatever he's doing with Star. Which, frankly, has to be everything in the kama sutra and then some. We like everyone here.”

“Are you planning on learning how to phase like they do?” came Aya's slightly muffled voice from the shower.

“Hadn't thought that far ahead yet. Ghost can do it and she's still alive.”

“You and I don't have the kind of power she has.”

“Point taken,” Yohji said. “Do you think they'd let us visit often, then? This has become home as much as the shop these last few months. Hell, I actually like the guys in Schwarz. How scary is that?”

“Extremely.”

“Gotta tell you, I feel really sorry for Oracle. That has got to suck. Going through what Star forced him to do then getting shot down anyway.”

“Hn. There but for the grace of the gods . . .” Aya said, stepping out of the shower and snagging the towel from the towel rack next to Yohji. He wrapped it around his waist then grimaced into the bathroom mirror at the cut just over one eye and started squeezing the water out of his eartails.

“Ran,” Yohji said, letting one hand drift down his still damp back while the other wrapped around his waist. “I would never have rejected you.”

“I know that now. I wasn't so sure about it a week or so ago. Especially after that episode in which I was duct taped to the bedpost.”

“That could have been lots of fun you know. All you would have had to do was say you loved me. I would have been happy to . . . follow through with a couple thousand dirty thoughts,” Yohji said just before kissing and nibbling lightly on the patch of skin joining Aya's shoulder and neck.

Aya smiled a little and tilted his head to give Yohji freer access. He caught the other man's gaze in the mirror. “I thought we followed up on all those dirty thoughts nicely.”

“Care to repeat a few of those dirty thoughts and actions?”

“Hmmm. I might be persuaded,” Aya almost gasped as Yohji's hands ghosted down his sides to the edge of the towel.

“I certainly hope so.” Yohji slid his hands around Aya's waist loosening the towel and letting it drop to the floor. “You know, this has got to be the sweetest ass in the world.”

Aya pushed backward into Yohji's hands. “You'd be the one to know since I'm fairly certain you've seen a good portion of the world's asses.”

Yohji spanked him lightly.

“You're going to pay for that. You know it don't you?”

Yohji almost purred. “I'm so looking forward to it.”

“Why does that not surprise me in the slightest,” Aya said as Yohji lightly ran his hands up his hips tracing the indentations of well developed muscle.

“It shouldn't,” Yohji said drawing patterns along the skin of Aya's back.

Aya moaned a little and arched back. “Mmmm. I'll give you all night to stop that.”

“What I have in mind for you might take all night.”

Aya looked over one shoulder. He smiled at Yohji and let just the tip of his evil pink tongue sweep to the side of his mouth. “Hmmm. Promise?”

Yohji smiled and pressed soft little kisses along Aya's shoulder. When Aya looked directly at him again he saw an expression not of lust or love but confusion and worry. He turned around to face him.

And if ever comes a day
When you should turn and walk away oh no
I can't live without you

“Yohji? Koi, what's wrong?”

“Ran, if . . . if Star hadn't kind of forced you to, would you have ever told me you loved me?”

“Considering I was well on my way toward it in my own head, yes. What brought this on so suddenly?”

“I was just thinking about you being worried that I would have rejected you. That started me pondering it.”

“Which made you start to worry and freak out about it.”

“Yeah. And I know it sounds crazy but I really feel sorry for Oracle. I watch him and Schuldig tiptoe around each other and watch one another when they think the other isn't looking. You can just tell that it's tearing both of them apart but neither one of them will do anything about it. I just have to wonder if things had been different that . . .”

“It might have been us doing that instead of them.”

“Pretty pathetic, huh.”

“No. Just human,” Aya said wrapping his arms around Yohji.

They were just getting into a comfortable snuggle when the bathroom door flew open. Star walked in, Ken stood outside the door as far away as his leash would allow him, looking the other way. She slapped a small tube on the counter and turned to both men.

“Shampoo is NOT a good substitute for lubricant and the towel rack doesn't hold that much weight. So, I suggest you move anything overly interesting to the bedroom,” she said and walked out.

Both men stared at the door for a moment utterly speechless.

“Does anything embarrass that woman?” Yohji asked in disbelief.

“I'm betting not.”


Maybe it's too late
but this feeling is running through my soul
I think I've learned what love is
But I'm afraid I let it go.

Something had woken him but damned if he could figure out what it had been. He relaxed and let his gift run a little, thinking he might pick up something from that. Ever since coming into the Red Shaman household he had noticed certain . . . oddities in his abilities. They had gotten stronger, yes, but they had also altered slightly. Allowing him to sense who had been somewhere or what had happened in a particular place in the past.

His eyes flew wide as he realized who had been in the room with him albeit only briefly. He threw back the covers, checked the clock and noticed it was nearly three in the morning. Damn it. How long had it been since he'd been there? An hour? A few minutes? The bad thing was he could never gauge exactly how much time had elapsed. He got up and searched fruitlessly for a moment for his glasses. He found them across the room on the dresser. He paced the room for a few more minutes trying to think what to do. He sure as hell couldn't go back to sleep. So, maybe he should go find out what the other man had been doing in his room.

He didn't bother putting on a shirt before walking out into the hallway. He doubted anyone in the Weiss or Red Shaman teams would be traumatized by seeing him without a shirt. He walked down to the room Schuldig usually slept in while at the Red Shaman compound and found it empty. So, he turned his attention to the only other logical place he would be. Skye's room.


How can it be true?
How can you just turn and let me go?
Let the story of your life with mine
Forever go untold.

He paused outside the door, hand raised to knock, then stopped. He saw clearly that Schuldig was there. Wrapped around Skye like the twining morning glories in the garden. Schu's fire colored hair was wound together with Skye's darker auburn tones. If they weren't a couple, it sure as hell looked like it from the outside.

He put his forehead against the door and sighed heavily. If she were still alive they would probably have some of the most beautiful children in the known universe. Where the hell had that come from? Skye was dead. Her body had to be nothing but bones in the ground by now. But this was where the dead walked and spoke and wielded power such as he had never seen before.

He turned to go when he heard a voice in his mind.

Coward.

He smiled slightly, bitterly. Yes, I suppose I am that.

Only if you allow yourself to be.

He hates me . . .

You know that isn't true. You've seen him watch you when he knows you aren't looking. You've felt him start to go to you then stop himself because he wants you to come to him on his terms.

And what would those terms be?

Come to him in honesty. Of your own free will. Without pretense or prodding. Because you want to be with him. Not because you were coerced into it. He deserves your whole heart, not just bits and pieces you're willing to give him because you think loving ANYONE will make you weak.

He was silent for a few moments, pondering what had been said. Thought rather.

You love him. You know it, he knows it and everyone else in this house knows it. So, do something about it.

What would you have me do, Skye?

He heard the snarl as if she were standing next to him.

FIGHT FOR HIM!!!



*******Author's Notes*****

The songs used in this chapter are So Caught Up In You by 38 Special and Here With Me by REO Speedwagon. Yes, I know most of you under thirty won't know who the hell these people are.