Chapter eight:

Chipp had finally snapped out of his trance, leaning against the front door, arms folded, weight propped on one leg, a few cute girls winking at him when they pass, he only grins back. Looking at the groom, the priest behind him awaiting the bride's arrival, the ninja stared at the crowd that had gathered to attend the wedding, but his eyes caught the sight of a crow with a white collar that stood on a man's shoulder, this man wore like a monk, he stood at the far corner of the place, next to an organ, his head covered up, the mere curve of his chin appeared though, a small light glowed as if it was the eye, and he was holding a stick.

'Wait a sec! That's no stick! It's a scythe!' Chipp recognized the weapon, but since everyone bowed to him as they passed, it seemed like he was harmless, but that crow seemed odd, as if it was human or something, staring at every single person who had come close to its dark owner, oddly enough making its rude squawking voice at every single female that came near.

Just then, Kasumi walked in hastily, whispered into the priests ear, and Odin seemed shocked.

"What?" the old man knotted his brows, "But everyone's been waiting!" he reasoned.

Anji's heart skipped a heartbeat, something wrong was happening, and he knew it.

Chipp stood up straight when Kasumi passed him, nervous pounding went through his heart.

"Kasumi? What is it? What's wrong?" Anji whispered, worried.

"Um, Anji… I-I-I… I'm afraid that, Baiken… um… it's like… Uhh…" the little girl composed herself, swallowing hard, tears in her eyes, "She can't do it…" She said weakly.

"What?" Anji squinted his eyes, not hearing her final answer.

"Anji!" a rough voice echoed through out the room.

"Ack!" Chipp comically jumped ten feet back, his hair stood up, prickled, "Sh**! Baiken you scared-? What the Hell-?" the albino gawked.

Scanning the cold, expressionless, marble faced redheaded woman, Baiken was back to her old outfit, the pink kimono with the so-called sun, her hair pulled up, and –Yup! You guessed it!- a pretty wide cleavage. Her only hand gripped the hilt of her sword, her eye lazily glaring, burning determination was visibly seen.

"Baiken…" Anji walked hastily to her, "Y-you… did you-"

"I'm sorry," the titled her head, yet her voice showed no emotion, "I cannot hock myself with you, it'll be too troublesome." She said bluntly.

Anji only smiled, "So now… you remember everything?" he said in a whisper, barely able to speak.

"Yes." She replied with a firm glare, and then turned to look at the crowd, "People, I would like to thank you for all your time, for attending this wedding, but I'm afraid that it has been canceled." She bowed, her long bang swayed down, causing some men to suffer nose blood leaks, "Farewell." She smiled lightly, her last words echoed in that room as she walked away.

Chipp stood silent, finally collecting enough courage to look at the groom.

Anji's lips were curved in a smile, yet his eyes glittered with tears, he swallowed hard, watching her as she faded away.

"Ouch…" was all what the ninja could comment.

"Anji Mito." The dark man with a crow and scythe walked up behind the pair, freaking the daylight out of Chipp.

"F***! Man, don't do that!" the albino cried.

With that, the crow pecked on the silver headed man's head.

"Ouch!" Chipp jilted, "Stupid bird!" he growled.

"Now Zio, behave." The dark man patted the crows head, and it obeyed. "I am testament, I was summoned here by the Blue-Dragon clan's leader, I am to help you out of the colony."

Anji didn't turn to him, "How are you intending to do that?" then he swallowed.

"I have brought four coffins with me, I would pretend I'm taking them to a family graveyard and easily sneak you out." Testament explained.

"Four?" Anji asked, now fully turning to the undertaker, "Why four?"

"The clan master had advised me to take more than one incase you choose to take someone with you." The crimson eyed man smiled, "And I have a feeling that redhead is the one he meant, no?" he smirked.

Anji frowned a bit, with no words, he stormed away, after the redheaded woman.

"Oh-sure! Ditch the ninja!" Chipp cried, annoyed.

"Chipp," Kasumi walked to him, "Is Anji alright?" she asked in worry.

"Just give him time." Chipp huffed. Angry he kicked the dirt, "Sh** man! What a time for her to get back her memory! Couldn't she wait till after the wedding?" he punched the wall, a few small chunks of cement crumbled down.

"Chipp!" Ryu walked into the picture, "Could you explain what had just happened?" the brown headed boy crossed his arms, puzzled.

"Oh-you bet I can! Baiken's amnesia had just decided to forfeit!" the ninja cried, steamed. "Poor Anji, I pity him." He shook his head, sad.

"Not really," Testament commented, "perhaps it's for the best." He reached out a hand, tossing the head cover off, revealing his grey-pale face and single red eye. "Everything happens for a reason, you know."

"Oh?" Chipp edged back, "Geesh man! You looked way much better with that thing on!"

Testament glared with a vein pop.

Zio, the female crow was also upset, so the peck the ninja again.

"Ouch! Geesh! Sorry!"

"Oh?" a new voice came up, the silver headed boy from before with his three companions arrived, "You must be Testament, the undertaker, no?" Chi titled his head, nonchalant.

"Yes, I am." The undertaker nodded.

"Hey? Who're you?" Kasumi asked, not recognizing the new member.

Chi glanced at her, and he arched his brows, "My-my! What a beautiful young lady!" he smiled reached for her hand, kissing it, "I am Chi, Hiroyuki Chi, an honor to meet you."

Completely charmed, Kasumi uncontrollably blushed, zoning out.

Green eyed with jealousy, Ryu grabbed her shoulders, "Kasumi!" he spoke between gritted teeth, "How about you going back in there and helping the woman clean up, huh?" awaiting no answer, her softly pushed her into the shrine, closing the door.

Chipp gained a sweet drop, "Sigh… I wonder if they're alright."

Are they?"

Hastily walking, fighting the stinging tears in the back of his eyes, many angry, sad, devastated and hurt thoughts rushed through Anji's head, he reached up a hand, adjusting his spectacles, the ring in his finger shined. Stopping, Anji stared at it once more, thinking about it, about her, about how much he had loved her, how much she had hurt him back there, how could she? Why? Why did she do that? Was it because she got back her memory? Was that it? If so, than what about the past few days they've spent together? That little time they've spent up the tree, did it not mean anything to her? Nothing at all?

"Anji…" her soft melodic voice called.

Jerking to her, he frowned, hurt and offended, but then his eyes widened.

Her pink orb was glittering, her head resting on a tree at where she stood under the shade, a soft, loving smile on her face. She reached out her only hand, "Come over here." She said softly.

Puzzled, Anji accepted her hand, walking closer to her, now both under that shade, "Why did you do that?" he asked, hurt clear in his voice.

"I'm sorry." She tilted her head, her hand released his, cupped his cheek, brushed away a trickling tear with her thumb, "As right as it was for my heart, it was wrong for my quest… for both our quests." She explained.

"What do you mean?" the ebony haired man asked, his hand over hers.

"If we would have gotten married, we would've wasted time protecting each other than completing our quest." She frowned.

"But…" Anji started weakly, but the redheaded woman placed her finger softly on his lips, shushing him.

"I… remember something dear to me, something very far back in my past. I remember that my mother would always yell at my father, even though he was strong and brutal, but was a wuss when countering my mother." She giggled lightly, "I asked my father, why did he marry my mother is she kept beating him up? He said that… it was for the best, because it was either he takes her to his heaven, or she would drag him to her hell…" and the woman silenced.

Anji waited, watching his love as she deeply sighed.

"Only now did I understand his words… he loved my mother, that's why he didn't care about how she was." She looked up at him, forking back a few bangs, "Anji, it's almost the same here… if we would've gotten married, either you take me to your heaven, or I drag you to my hell…" she whispered, "I didn't want that to happen…"

"I don't care!" he said quietly, "As long as I'll be with you, I don't care!" their temples touched, and she blushed. "I love you."

"Anji, please." She pushed a little, "You have to understand this! We can't get married! Not now!"

"When then?" he frowned, firmly holding her shoulders, "When?" he shook.

Baiken frowned, eye closed, she hung her head, "I don't know…"

"Baiken! Give me a time!" Anji demanded, his voice a whisper, "A time! Just any time!"

"Anji," Baiken looked up at him, calm and steady, "I can't give you a specific time, but… I promise you, whenever this is over, I'll always be there for you." She smiled.

"Honest?" the man smiled, his broken heart began to heal.

"Yes, honest." She smiled, "And besides, it'll be something for me to long for after this is over." she grinned wider, her hand sliding on his neck, resting on his shoulder, then slipping back to the nab of his head, softly holding it. "Anji, thank you." She whispered into his ear.

"What for?" he asked.

"For teaching me how to love… for reminding me of who I am, and for showing me how it feels to have something to live for in life." She nuzzled him.

"Don't mention it." He grinned, nuzzling her back.

She glanced into his black passionate orb, smiling, and blushing.

Anji's heart pounded, watched her tilt her head, and their lips met. He held her tight, kissing her back, both shaded under the tree.

Late that night:

"Are you sure about this?" the blue clad man whispered, wearing garments similar to his old ones, the redheaded woman besides him, watching and listening.

"Listen, the coffin's been widened, since you're so wide shouldered." Chipp whispered back, "Testament would drive you two out, and I'm sneaking along incase your cover got busted."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Baiken asked, a bit too loud.

Frantically shushing her, Anji gained a sweat drop, "Speak quietly!" he whined.

"Hush up, here comes the undertaker." Chipp waved a hand to the approaching carriage, "Alright, you two hop on and I'll scan the area from the rooftops."

"Thank you Chipp, and good luck!" Anji nodded, smiling.

"You're the one needing luck, trust me!" the ninja chuckled, and then vanished in a leap, green leaves were all what were last seen.

"Just how does he do that?" Testament asked, puzzled.

Zio, the crow just shrugged.

Ten minutes later:

"Hold it right there!" the chubby guard raised his hand, stopping the two black horses with the burning amber eyes, "Took you long enough! First time for a funeral to take three-"

"Four!" the thin guard corrected.

"Err-Four days…" the chubby guard said, "Any way, I see that you've only gotten two coffins." The guard knocked on the wood.

Inside that coffin, Baiken was holding her breath, maintaining her heartbeats, and closed her eye, frowning.

In the other coffin besides her, Anji's eyes scrolled around the weak little light the seeped into his case.

On the rooftop of the colony wall, Chipp crouched like a hunting tiger, waiting.

"So? Who kicked the bucket?" the chubby guy asked, elbow on the coffin.

Testament frowned, "Have you got no respect for the dead?" he growled.

"Geesh! Sorry." The chubby guy spat, "Go on."

'Phew…' Anji sighed.

Silence came…

"Hay! Did you hear something?" the chubby guy asked, suspicious.

Anji's breath was cough dead silent. O_O;;

"No, I didn't hear anything." The thin guard murmured.

"I have heard nothing as well." The undertaker said calmly.

Baiken swallowed lightly, getting tensed.

"Who're in those coffins?" the cubby guy asked.

"Corpse! What else?" the undertaker said bluntly, shrugging.

"Open the coffin." The chubby guard knocked on the wood again.

"What?" Testament's eye glowed, and Zio flew off his shoulder, squawking.

"I said: Open the coffin!" he repeated.

"Man! They're just dead corpse! What is there to see?" the thin guard reasoned.

"Have you got no respect to the dead?" the undertaker rose from his seat, raged. "Would you like someone to toss open your coffin on the day you're dead?" he cried.

The chubby guy edged back, startled. "Feh… fine! You may pass."

And so, the undertaker passed, Zio the female crow flew up the ninja, giving him the sign to follow and then swooped down to unite with her master. Chipp gawked, snapping out of it, he leaped up, gracefully landing on top of a tree top, swinging around, landing on the carriage as it vanished within the shrouded forest. With an arched brow, Chipp looked up at the crow as it stared at him oddly. Just then, he broke their stare and glanced behind, no one was following, so he grinned and knocked on the coffin.

"Ollie-Ollie oxen free!" the ninja childishly cried, perching atop a coffin.

The coffin's lid shook, little weak, then a bit tougher, the one inside realized the unwelcome weight of the laughing ninja atop of it. Silence came, and nothing happened.

"Hello?" Chipp positioned himself as a cat atop the coffin, "Come out come out where ever you are!" he smiled.

BAM!

"KYA~!" the albino cried, paralyzed at the angry fist that just crashed through the wood. Crawling off it, the ninja curled into a ball, comically shivering.

"Okay…" the redheaded woman hissed, steam comically hissing over her head, she threw off the coffin's lid, stepped out and stomped towards the curled up ninja, "Give me one good reason not to beat you up and-"

"Baiken! Calm down!" Anji smiled worriedly, sweating, "Harming him won't do you any good, you know." He reasoned.

"Perhaps… but it sure would make me feel better." She sneered. Ditching the pair, the redheaded woman walked up front, sitting right besides the startled undertaker.

A moment of silence fell, nothing heard but the horses' steps as they walked on that old dusty road.

"So? Where are we going?" she lazily asked, her arm swung to rest on the wooden seat, her legs crossed.

"Nowhere in particular…" Anji replied, sitting behind her, somewhere to her left so she could see him, his breath on her neck, "But there is a pretty little down up ahead." He smiled.

Baiken glanced at him, nonchalant, shrugging, she stared at the road, silent.

Chipp got up, staring at the blue clad man, puzzled. Did the last day's events not hurt him? Did they not change him? Why is he still the happy dancer who never had a care in the world?

"Anji…" Baiken called, never turning to him, "I think you and I should travel separately." She suggested.

Chuckling, the blue clad man ran a finger over his new white head band, "Are you sure you want that?"

A moment of silence came before she replied, "It'll be for the best." Her voice was quite, yet motionless.

Anji smiled weakly, yet, he stretched out his arms, wrapping them around her, hugging. "Baiken, you don't have to be like that!" he frowned, sad, and nuzzled her.

"Anji, let go!" she warned, hissing, yet blushing, eye closed.

"Sorry." He drew back, disappointed.

"Stop the carriage," Chipp called, "This is my stop." He jumped off. "Thanks for the ride!" he nodded to the undertaker.

Testament only nodded back, lightly smiling.

"Here?" Anji gawked, "Chipp! This is an empty meadow!" the blue-clad man reasoned.

"I know!" the ninja chuckled, and then pointed away, beyond a forest, "See that forest? There's a small town behind it with a few friends I know, so I'll stop here and drop in for a visit." He explained, and then his face softened, "You two take care, okay? Try not to slaughter each other." He teased.

"Sure." Anji smiled back, nodding.

"Good luck! Bye" Chipp waved, walking away while the carriage drove away.

Baiken didn't move, she even didn't turn to face the ninja as they departure.

Anji sighed, and then turned to face the driver, "Say, Testament, how far is it to the next town?"

"About an hour…" The undertaker replied coldly.

"Oh…" Anji gained a sweat drop, "Thank you."

Twenty minutes later:

Anji was sitting crossed legged at the back of the carriage, staring aimlessly at the two empty coffins, and then at the back of the redheaded woman's head.

"Stop right there." Baiken said mildly, suddenly sitting up straight.

The undertaker stopped, so she jumped off.

"Baiken wait!" Anji attended to jump off, but she grabbed his hand where it gripped to the wooden chair's back. "Huh?"

"Don't follow me, Anji." She warned, glaring.

"But… I-" he never finished.

The blue-clad man was lost, lost in the beauty of her eye. As simple pink and glimmering as it was, he saw things in it that he was never capable of explaining, things he never felt before, things… he never knew existed. Just then, he was brought out of thought as she kissed him once more, sweetly and softly on the lips. When they parted, she pressed her lips, suppressing a smile, and then nodded for the undertaker to leave, taking her beloved man with him.

"Baiken…!" Anji called, suppressing the need to jump off and go to her side, "Will I ever see you again?"

"Only time would tell, Anji!" she cried back, watching the carriage as it drove away, vanishing, "Only time would tell…" she whispered that to herself.

Feeling the choked sob in her chest, Baiken drew in a deer breath, stopping the tears from trickling down, she looked up at where he left, and then smiled, kissing her fingers, blowing it at where he went. Something shined, and she remembered. 'The ring!' she widened her eye, forgetting completely about it. She was intending to give it back, but then found it struck in her finger, and when they were under the tree, she was intending to ask him to take it back, but her stubborn pride stopped her, and she didn't even know why!

'Keep it…' someone whispered in her mind, sounding much like him, making her eye glance up, hopeful of seeing him, but no one was there.

"Keep it?" she asked, looking down at it once more, admiring it as it shined.

'Keep it… something to remind us of each other… a reminder… of our love…'

"I'll keep it." She smiled, "I'll guard it with my life." She giggled, and then kissed it.

Maybe I can't see you… but I can feel you… and we would always be together…

"I love you… Baiken…" Anji whispered, staring at his own ring, smiling. "I would love you for all my life." He kissed it.

"We'll arrive at the next town in ten minutes." Testament announced, "Uh-Oh!" he then gasped, slowing down.

"What?" what is it?" Anji turned to him, confused.

"The Holy Orders…!" Testament whispered in disbelieve, "What the hell are those guys doing here?"

Anji looked up, seeing a few huge jumbo planes were many people swarming around like busy bees all around it…

The blue-clad man had found himself yet another step closer to the end of his quest…

THE END

Jess: YEAY! My very first Guilty Gear pairing fic! ^_^ I'm so happy! (Dances around)

Chipp: (Pout) No wonder it stinks! I hardly had a role and you made me look like a stupid looser! T_TX

Jess: the flashing event was thinking of putting in the fic was to be with you and Zio, but then I thought it would be better if I left it to be in a whole other fic.

Chipp: you were gonna pair me with a crow?" O_O;

Jess: ^_^; not really! Zio is paired with Testament as far as I care.

Chipp: Meh… whatever… I still never got a role!

Anji: Not really (kisses Baiken)

Baiken: He didn't have much of a role anyway (Kisses Anji)

Pair exchange kisses for ten minutes…

Jess: Um, okay you two, you can stop now! O_o;

Baiken: (Glares!) T_-\-

Anji: (talks out fans/cover up/keep up kissing)

Jess: (Pout) T,T;

Okay… just a note, like I said before, I'm used on using Japanese words in most of my InuYasha fics. Another thing, why do people flame? Did you ever wonder? I mean, some people don't even read the story, they just open it and flame then close it, and I bet that they don't even know what it is!

Baiken: Oh-Anji please stop! I need to take a breath here!

Anji: (hits himself with fans) Sorry! ^_^;

Jess: Meh… (Shakes head) kids! U_U;

Well now, like I always say, 'Constructive criticism is always welcome!' ^_^ I hope you like it even thought this last chapter was short and the ending was bad, -.- sorry… Bye…