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Close Friends

The next day InuYama got up really early to practice a few things in the forest near the village. She tiptoed out of the house for no one would hear her and wake up. When she got out the sun was barely rising. 'What a beautiful sunrise with all those colors.' InuYama stopped looking at the sunrise and ran to the forest. 'The forest should be a good place to practice my powers and attacks.' See InuYama has special gifts she got from her parents like the power of freezing things and healing things from her father, the monk. Those powers are locked up in her right hand and the only time she can use them is when she takes off the prayer beads and says the power she wants to use. Her right hand has sort of a blue cloth looking thing that goes up to her elbow, there's a ring on her middle finger to help keep the cloth from falling off, and the prayer beads wrap around her arm, but it only goes up to her elbow. 'Here it goes. First I'll use my powers.' InuYama got ready to take off the prayer beads, but first she was trying to find something that was moving. She saw a bird and amide at it. InuYama took off the prayer beads and did her attack. "Freeze!" When this happens you never see were the power from her hand goes, but you can tell if it hits your target by what happens to it. The bird automatically stood in place like time itself was frozen, but this only happens to your target and nothing else. 'Excellent! The powers came out perfect.' She was so excited, but she did not let that distract her from practicing. Almost the whole morning she kept practicing her attacks and powers until they were perfect.

Afterwards she started walking to her house and on her way she saw her mother talking to someone. As she got closer she realized whom her mother was talking to. 'It's Menroku, wonder why he came to my house? Duh...He is there to talk to me.' "Hey! Over here!" Menroku and her mother turned around to see InuYama yelling from the top of the hill and called back. "Hi!" InuYama started running down the hill to greet them. "Hello, InuYama and good morning. Also, InuYama…" "Yeah." "Where were you?" "In the forest training and practicing my attacks." "Oh, okay. As along as you didn't wonder off." "Yeah. Yeah." InuYama was rushing her mother. 'These kids lately always trying to hurry up conversations.' "So Menroku, what's up?" "Nothing really." "Then why did you come to my house? Hmm…" "Well… see… hmmm…" "Menroku, has a gift for you." "Huh…" Menroku's cheeks turned all bright red. "Really. What is it?" "Well, I'll leave you guys alone and InuYama you can hang out with your friend if you want to. Okay." "Okay. Bye." Her mother went back inside the house. "So what did you get me?" "I'll tell you, but first come with me." "Okay." He grabbed her hand and they ran to the same hill they sat at yesterday. Menroku stopped running when he got to the top of the hill. 'I wonder what he got me?' "So InuYama, ready to see your gift?" "Yeah." Menroku whistled and then pointed to the sky. "What are you pointing at?" "Just keep looking at the sky and you'll see." All of a sudden something appeared. "Is that it?" "Yep." As it got closer InuYama realized it was a cat demon. The demon landed on the hill. "So, do you like it?" InuYama was so surprised that she didn't even respond. "InuYama, do you like it?" He turned his face and saw her expression. 'Well, it seems like she really adores it.' "Oh Menroku, it's so adorable." InuYama went up to Menroku and hugged him. When this happened he blushed. "Thank you so much." "Your welcome." She went to the cat and started petting it. Menroku got her a cat demon which can transform to a bigger form to ride and help fight and then it goes to a cute smaller, kitty like form. This little cat has a black body and face, its two tails have two stripes on it which are brown and its paws are too, and a nose and the inside of its ears are bright pink. "Menroku, answer this for me." "Yes. What is it?" "I was wondering why you gave this to me even if we've only been friends for one day." "Well, I gave it to you because you're my friend." She gave him a look, which obviously meant 'tell me the truth'. "No really, why did you give it to me?" The cat demon jumped on her shoulder and rubbed its head against her face. 'Oh my gosh, it's so cute.' Then she looked at him waiting for an answer. "Okay. I gave it to you because… Well I don't know I just wanted to give it to you okay." "You know you don't have to get mad. I don't really care. Okay." "Okay." "Come on lets sit on the hill for awhile and talk." "Alright." They sat down on the hill and so did InuYama's new pet. "Hey, remember yesterday how you wanted to tell me something?" "Oh, yeah. I almost forgot." "So, what was it?" "Well, I'll tell you in a minute, but first let me tell you this." "Tell me what?" She had a questioned look on her face. "Meow?" The cat tilted its head acting like its owner.

"InuYama, the demon I got you is a girl and you can name it whatever you want." "Oh, so that's what you wanted to tell me." "Yes. So what are you going to call it?" "Hmmm… I know. I'll call it Kiara." "Kiara. Cool name." "Yep." The two were sitting on the hill for a long time just talking and getting to know each other. "So, now will you tell me what you were going to say yesterday." "Alright. Lets see, what was it…" "Are you telling me you don't remember?" "I never said that. I'm just trying to figure out what it was." "Uh… This is going to take all day." "Hey. Do you want to know what it was or not?" "Yes." "Then let me think." "Okay." 'At this rate I don't think I really want to know. Hmmm… I'm so bored. Wait. I know. I'll play with Kiara until he figures out what it was. Maybe that will pass the time.' 'Why can I not remember.' "I got it!" "Got what?" "You know, the question I wanted to ask you yesterday." "Oh, that. So what was it?" "See, I was wondering if I could ask you some questions and get to know you more." "Oh, okay. So what do you want to ask me?" "What kind of attacks and powers do you have? I was kind of curious after what you said this morning." "Well, I have two powers locked up in my right hand." She showed him her hand. "Awesome. What kind of powers are they?" "They are the powers to freeze and heal things." "Wow! Can you show me?" "Yeah. Let me just find a target." "How about that bird in the sky?" "Okay." 'That is strange. That bird, looks just like the same one I practiced with earlier, but it can't be it is probably just another bird.' "InuYama, are you going to show me or just sit there." "Oh, sorry. Here I go." She amide at the bird and took off the prayer beads. "Freeze!" Once again her power worked perfectly and then she put the beads back on her arm. The bird just stood there and didn't do anything. "That's amazing." "Well, thank you. Now I must make it go back to normal." "How?" "Easy. Watch." "Huh…" He looked at the bird once again. She took off the prayer beads again. "Unfreeze!" After that she put the beads back on and didn't even look at the bird because she already knew the results. "InuYama…" "It's awesome. Isn't it?" InuYama didn't hear a response from Menroku, so she decided to look at what happened. Both of them stood there with shocked looks on their faces. 'That's not suppose to happen.' The bird, for some odd reason, transformed to a bigger form and started flying towards them. "InuYama, was this suppose to happen?" "No." They got so scared of what just happened and even more terrified when the bird charged straight at them and didn't even stop. "Duck!" He pushed InuYama to the ground with him. They just barely missed getting hit by the bird. "InuYama, that's no ordinary bird. It's a demon." "Oh, no!" "We have to fight." "Yes. You're right. Here it goes." InuYama took off her beads and did her attack. After that she put the beads back on and the demon stood still and InuYama was ready to finish it off, but Menroku pushed her out of the way. 'What is he doing?' InuYama didn't realize this before, but he also had prayer beads on his right hand. She was amazed of what happened next. He took off the beads and something happened to his right hand. "Wind tunnel!" His hand was sucking up everything in its path. "Stay behind me. I don't want you to get sucked in." "Yeah…" She just starred at what was going on and so did her furry little friend. Menroku finally got the demon and put the beads back on his arm. He turned around and saw her expression. "InuYama. InuYama. Are you okay?" 'How did he do that?' 'Maybe I should have told her about my wind tunnel before I used it and maybe she wouldn't be so shocked.' He was rubbing the back of his head and laughed a little laugh.

"Menroku, why didn't you tell me you could do that?" "Well, I was going to tell you when we were talking before that demon came along." "Oh, so tell me then." "But you didn't finish answering my last question." "Oh, yeah I sort of forgot because of all that excitement that just happened, but when I'm done you'll tell me right." "Right." "Alright then. Now were was I… Oh, yeah. My second power in my hand is the power to heal things." "Give me an example." "Okay. Let me find something. Hmmm… I guess I'll just have to be the example." "What do you mean?" "Just watch." He watched her cut her leg with her nail. "Ouch!" "What are you thinking? Trying to make yourself bleed to death." "No. Just be quiet and watch." Menroku sat next to her being completely silent and started watching to see what she would do next. 'Don't worry it will be all over soon.' Then she took the beads off once again and said something different from the last time she took them off. "Heal." 'Why is she saying that?' Then he knew why because her cut was healing and then it just disappeared like it wasn't even there. She put the beads back on her arm and looked at him. "So, what did you think of that?" "It was the greatest. It's like you never even cut yourself. That's a very useful power." "Well, thank you." She smiled at him. 'This girl is so amazing. It's like she is full of surprises that I don't even know about.' The day was getting late and the sun was finally setting. They looked at the sunset and thought it was so beautiful. "I better get home. I'm not aloud to stay out after dark." "Me too." "So, I'll see you later." She got up and started walking to her house. "Wait. There is one more question I'd like to ask you before you leave." She stopped and looked at him. "What?" "How old are you?" "Six. You." "Seven." "You're one year older then me." "Yep." After that question she went back walking towards her house and so did Menroku, but on her way she realized something. "Hey! Menroku!" He was already half way down the hill when he heard her. "Yeah!" "Don't forget, sometime you have to tell me about you're wind tunnel!" "Alright and you don't forget your new pet. It gets very sad when you leave it!" "Huh…" He ran down the hill and walked to his house. 'What is he talking about. Wait a minute I almost forgot Kiara.' She ran back up the hill and when she got to the place were the cat was at it had a sad expression on its face. "Meow." It started crying. "I'm so sorry Kiara. I won't forget you every again." She bent down and picked up the small demon. They started walking back to the house once again. Finally they got home and she saw her mom doing something. "Mom, what are you doing?" "Oh, InuYama I didn't even notice that you were there. Well, since you're here I have a surprise for you." "What surprise?" She was so curious and then she saw her mother take something and place it in front of her. "Is that it?" "Yes."

"You are giving me a sword." "Yes. It's called the Tenshimora." "Tenshimora." She looked at the sword on the floor and picked it up to exam it. 'Why did she give me a sword?' "This sword was forged by Totosai, a sword maker, by using my two fangs." Her mother showed her mouth and her two fangs were missing. 'Why would she do that for me?' InuYama kept asking questions to herself. "InuYama…" "Huh…I mean, yes. What is it?" "Make sure you be careful out in the world when you get older and make sure you figure out the swords abilities and use them well." "Yes." 'And why is she telling me this. Its not like I'm ever going to get in any danger and if I did I'd just whoop their butt.' She was broken away from her thoughts by her mother's serious face. 'InuYama, I'm not joking. I hope you understand that.' 'Okay. Why is she looking at me like that? Wait a second is she serious about what she said. But she can't be or can she…' Since that night InuYama has been trying to figure out the secrets of the Tenshimora. Days have passed by. She still hangs out with Menroku and trains, but she is more determined to figure out what her mother meant. During the weeks and the days passing by InuYama's father's brother left on a journey and wouldn't return unless it was necessary, but they still lived there even if the reason was just to take care of her father's brother because her parents knew she had a great time with Menroku. Four years later… Menroku and InuYama were sitting on a hill and started taking, but they never would have expected of what would happen next.

"I had fun today, Menroku." "So did I." "You know what." "What?" He looked at her. "Did you know we have been friends for four years?" "Yes. I still remember the first time we met." "So do I. I remember it like it was just yesterday." "Yep. Remember how I protected you from those bullies." "Yes and we have been friends since." The sun started to set and they looked at it while still talking. "It's strange how we met like that." "What do you mean, InuYama?" "See, the way we met is like how people meet in fairy tales because some handsome guy comes to save the girl and that's what happened to us. Then they end up being together and it's like that all happened because it was destiny." "I see what you mean, but this is real life and not a fairy tale." The sun was finally gone and the moon appeared. While this happened something happened to InuYama. Menroku looked at her and realized she turned into a human. "I never seen you turn into a human before." "Never. We have been friends for four years and I never showed you." "Nope. I was wondering is this the only night you turn into human form." "Yes. Only on the night of the full moon." "You don't look a lot different because just your ears, fangs, and claws changed." "Yeah." The wind started to come. 'Why all of a sudden the wind starts to blow? I'm so cold.' "Burr…" "Huh…" Menroku looked at her and saw her shivering. 'She's cold I have to do something, but what.' Her black hair started blowing in the wind. 'She's so beautiful. Wait. What am I saying? She's my friend I can't have a crush on her. Look at those blue eyes they are sparkling. Stop it. I can't be thinking this.' InuYama started holding herself to keep warm. The night was silent. 'I have to do something.' With no control over his body he started moving closer to her, but she didn't notice. 'What am I doing. Stop. What, for some reason, I can't control my body.' He got close enough to reach out his hand and hold InuYama. "Huh…" She just barely noticed what happened and looked up at Menroku. He was holding her and she didn't know what to do. 'This is strange. He never held me before. Should I move away, but he's so warm. I won't.' She put her head on his shoulder and started laying on him. 'What is she doing? Doesn't she mind I'm holding her? I guess not.' They were just sitting there for a while doing nothing. Then something happened. "Menroku…" They looked at each other. Starring into each other's eyes. Both of them didn't have control over their bodies when they came into a quick kiss. It was like their hearts were leading them, but they stopped quickly after they realized of what just happened. They looked the opposite way of each other and were shocked of what just happened. 'Did I just kiss him?' 'I can't believe I just kissed her.' They got up and didn't look at each other because they were to embarrass of what they did. "I got to get going, Menroku." "Alright and InuYama…" "Yes." She looked at him and he looked at her. "I didn't mean for this to all happen." "It's okay." "Huh…" 'Did she just say it was okay?' "Goodnight." "Goodnight." She walked up to him and hugged him. Menroku started to blush. Then she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He was shocked of what she just did. While she did that she said something to him that even made him more surprised. "I will always remember this day with you." After that she walked down the hill and went back to her house without saying anything else for the night. Menroku looked at her walking home while putting his hand on the cheek she kissed and smiled. 'I will remember this day too.'

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