"Hey ma! Kagura says to bring the dead fishes!" cried Vamp. She smiled at them as the group walked up. They really seemed dazed at the size of the place, at least Shippo who was turning his head around.
"And…!" she said in a grand announcing way. "Welcome to your new home!"
AT THE HOUSE
Vamp led the group inside the marble tiled room. Moss green curtains hung on the wall, nice looking furniture lined the corridor. The living room was behind a huge staircase that led winding upwards to the second floor. A dining room led outside to the swimming pool. Glass windows dotted the sides letting in the cool sea breeze that was offered. The sea was a mile away from the house, but still provided good breezes then and there.
Vamp took the bag of fish from her mother and ran towards the kitchen leaving the others to look about. Her slippers pit patted on the floor as she opened the kitchen door. "Miss. Kagura!"
A woman stood at the table cutting vegetables. She wore a white kimono with red designs and had her black hair into a ponytail with a feather sticking out at the band. Her blood red eyes looked at the bouncy girl as she came running in. "Hello miss," she purred, "how was the trip?"
Vamp climbed up onto a high stool and placed the fish onto the counter. "It was alright. We got some new friends. They're really cool! Won't you come meet them?"
She nodded and followed her little mistress out into the hallway where they waited.
"This is Kagura, she takes care of all the house work," Vamp said introducing her. "Miss. Kagura this is Shippo, Inuyahsa, Sesshomaru, Hiei, Koga and Kurama. The knew helpers." The boys looked at her while she looked at them. Sesshomaru locked eyes. He seemed intrigued by this woman of beauty. Kagura took an extra glance at him before turning to her Madame. "I see that you have found some help Madame."
She nodded and looked at Vamp who was playing some type of hand game with Shippo while Kouga and Inuyasha watched them. "Yes, I found some slaves to help around the house. Vamp here helped me pick them."
"If the mistress picked them, then I am sure they are good," said Kagura glancing at them.
The little girl looked at her mother and smiled. "They're so cool! Can we eat now? And where's Puss?"
"One question at a time please Miss. Puss is out patrolling the area miss," Kagura said. "She will return shortly, till then I will make dinner." She turned and went into the kitchen.
"Food, thy name is Vamp!" she cheered jumping up and down. Her mother smiled, a little exhausted from the day. Kurama saw this and asked, "Are you alright ma'am?"
"Oh, yes I am fine," she replied politely. "Just a little tired from the day."
Vamp went up to her mother and took her hand. "Mommy if you tired you should go to bed."
"The young Miss is right my lady, if you are tired you should seek rest for later on," Myoga suggested jumping up and down from her shoulders.
"Very well, Vamp will you help me carry my bags to the room?" Vamp nodded and helped her mother carry the bags upstairs.
"You guys stay there until I come back," Vamp ordered kindly before disagreeing with her mother.
They stood there for a few seconds before Shippo spoke. "She's really nice to us and so is her mother. A brother…wow!"
Inuyasha feh'd. "If you ask me she's got a few screws lose in the attic."
"That's not nice to say about our master," Kurama spoke up. Inuyasha just feh'd. Hiei stayed silent as the others talked well minus Sesshomaru of course who was staring at the kitchen door.
"She's really nice and treats us equally," commented Shippo pointing a knowing finger at Inuyasha. "Be greatful we got such a nice master Inuyahsa!"
"You should be happy that someone finally got you mutt face," Kouga said smirking.
"What!" yelled Inuyasha glaring at him. Kouga remained unfazed. "From what I hear your last master gave you back."
"That's none of your damn business!"
Shippo looked up the stairs. "Be quite, you'll wake the mistress."
"Shut it runt!" Inuyasha snapped causing the fox pup to shrink back. Kouga and Inuyasha continued they're bickering. Kurama was trying to keep them quite, which just ended him up at getting yelled at.
"Stinkin' wolf!" yelled Inuyasha.
"Dirty mutt!" Kouga yelled back. Sesshomaru didn't seem to faze on the dog insults he was throwing at his half-breed brother. Actually he was amused. Shippo just shook his head. They acted like children just like before. Some things never change.
Hiei finally got tired of their useless bickering. "Be quite both of you before I make something look like an accident!"
The two shut right up and looked at the fire apparition. They both knew perfectly well about his reputation, but they were too stubborn to admit it. So they remained silent as Vamp came bouncing down the stairs. "Hi guys!"
"Feh!" was all Inuyasha said. Vamp looked at him. "If you don't build a better vocabulary you're going to end speaking like frog. Ribbit!"
Shippo looked at her confusingly; she looked kind of sad. "Are you okay?"
"Hm? Oh, I'm fine," she said quietly looking at her feet. She rocked back and forth on her heals. "Mommy said that I have to show you around the grounds and explain the other rules."
"Are you sure that is wise my lady? These lands are a bit dangerous for you to be wondering about this late," Myoga reminded her.
"You're the one to talk," Vamp shot back.
"I said I was going to get help, why can't you at least forget about it!"
"Yak, yak, yak that's all I hear."
"Why do you have to be so heartless?"
Vamp blocked him out, really he can be so annoying. A delicious smell came to her nose and to the others, especially Inuyasha. They both sniffed the air. "Food!"
In a dream like state Vamp floated towards the kitchen where Kagura was taking out a pumpkin pie from the oven. Inuyasha soon followed. Both of their mouths watered as Kagura placed the hot pie onto the counter to cool. She saw them and smiled. "The sooner you set the table, the sooner we can eat."
"Yeah!" cried Vamp happily getting the silver ware and plates. Shippo came bouncing in to help as the others walked in to take their seats. Once the table was set, Vamp made her way to the door to get her mother but stopped when she came striding into the room. She stifled a laugh from the look on her face.
Her mother merrily blushed a little. "My hunger was stronger than tiredness."
Vamp just giggled at her mother and took a seat next to Shippo. Her mother sat at the head with Kurama on her left and Hiei on her right. Sesshomaru sat next to Kurama and Inuyahsa sat next to Hiei. So Kouga sat next to Kagura who was the opposite side of Inuyasha. Only one seat remained at the other end of the table. Shippo couldn't help but wonder for who.
"Mom, where's Puss? She's going to miss dinner," Vamp said curiously as Kagura came in with a pot of steamed fish and chicken. Sesshomaru watched her carefully as she rested the food on the table. They locked gazes again for a few seconds before she bustled back into the kitchen for more food. Mrs. Cyto watched this entire passing, but remained silent.
"She'll come when she's finished," replied her mother softly as Kagura brought out the drinks. The plates of food were already on the table. Vamp hummed. Her mother sighed, knowing she wasn't going to explain the rules or anything to them, since Vamp herself did not follow, but broke.
"Lately, some strange break ins have been going on around here. They get in sometimes, oh they don't steal anything really important, -" her mother explained but Vamp cut in.
"But I think they're looking for something!" Everyone looked at her.
"Dear," her mother said slowly,
"But mom, they broke into your room the last time and I had to bite them out!" She bared out her rather pointy canines and started to imitate the bite. "Nah, nah nah!"
"And Puss is the security. She's very good at it, caught three the other day. Seems they were trying to get into the tool shed. She had help from Kirara of course, her partner to say."
"Yeah, she has two tails," Vamp sighed dreamily, "I wish I had a tail." Her mother just smiled and shook her head.
The boys listened to this. So, someone was breaking in huh? Now they were starting to understand why she got them, for protection. But they were only half-right.
"Now can we eat?" Vamp pleaded. She couldn't resist the smells of the delicious food any longer and she was hungry. Her mother nodded.
"Chow time!" Vamp dove into her rice and potato salad. The others started to eat as well, Kagura came in and sat down after opening the sliding door for some cool air. Shippo nibbled on some fish, Hiei chewed on bread, Kurama ate some veggies, Vamp swallowed those to spare her from the taste, Sesshomaru…Inuyasha was eating away at the chicken and Kouga was fixed on the meat.
Vamp was about to eat her fish when she felt something rub up against her leg. She looked down under the table to see a pair of red eyes and purple eyes. "Pussy!"
The purple eyes came closer as Vamp reached down and pulled up a dark red cat. It mewed and Vamp placed her in her lap and rubbed behinds her ears. She purred heavenly. "This is Puss. In boots."
A small cat with two tails came out next from underneath the table with black stripes on the tips of her tails and black ears with a diamond shape on its forehead. It mewed up to Vamp.
"Kirara!" The cat mewed again and Vamp scratched behind her ears. "This is the patrol guard."
"That's security?" asked Inuyasha with a mouthful of food. "Two prissy cats?"
"How weak can you get?" added Kouga.
The red cat shot them glares and jumped out of her master's lap onto the floor. She stood before them as a red wind surrounded her. When it cleared a woman stood there in with red fiery hair and fierce cat like purple eyes. She wore leather knee high boats with nice black pants that hugged at her hips. A jacket slumped on her shoulders as she straitened up and looked at the boys, her tail swishing behind her irritably.
Her hair stood up when she saw Inuyasha who was growling softly.
"Why Puss, its so nice for you to join us," said Mrs. Cyto picking up Kirara that walked over to her. She stroked her head. "How was the patrol?"
"Every thing fine a dandy ma'am," she said in a heavy Australian accent. She took the empty seat. "Just bagged myself a couple of sneaky demons around the garden. Seemed to be wanting to get in they did."
"I see," replied Mrs. Cyto in thought as Puss dived for the fish on her plate. She grinned, showing off her fangs, at her master, Vamp. "So, what did the cat drag in?"
"We got some new friends. This ones Shippo, that's Hiei, Kurama, Sesshomaru, Kouga and Inuyasha," Vamp said pointing to each in name. Inuyasha just feh'd and continued eating. Puss glared at him before turning a softer look to her master.
"Uh huh." Puss placed the bonefish in her mouth. "I see you picked some good ones. Things should ease up around here now. We need some men around her anyway."
"How did you meet Vamp?" asked Shippo holding a piece of roll in his hands. Puss smiled at him.
"Well, I should say the Lady found me first, but the cheila here took care of me," she explained leaning back into the chair. "Once I proved my stay, everything fell into place."
"Didn't you already have a master?" asked Hiei speaking for the first time. He was so quiet like he was invisible.
"Aye, that I did, but I ran away, to bad for me and the lady her took me in as I said before."
So Puss ended up into telling her story while the others listened in interest. Her fighting skills intrigued Kurama. Shippo was listening as well, so Vamp was left to herself. She turned her head outside for she thought she heard something. When nothing else happened she shrugged the uneasy feeling off and returned to the present conversation.
"But, them demons are a hard bunch, the wrong set mind you, always sneaking about. I think you need to put some locks on this place miss," she said directing the last part to her head master.
"We did that already remember? They melt those all away." She sighed and looked at her daughter who seemed to be nodding her head in a sleepy way. "Okay dear, time for bed."
"Huh?" she asked looking aorund dazed. "I'm not sleepy, just a little…poopped." Her face dropped into her plate as snoring sounds came from her.
Everyone: sweat drop.
"Now come little munchkin, time to hit dirt not your food," Puss said her accent hanging in her words. Vamp lifted her head, bits of rice stuck to her face. She rubbed them off.
"Go to bed dear," her mother said sweetly.
She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Okay, I'll show you guys to your rooms." A new excitement came to her tired face as she jumped from her chair. Shippo followed her as the others got up as well.
"Come on Puss, Kira," said Vamp behind her back opening the door. Puss returned to her cat form. She raised her tail in a sassy way walking right in front of Inuyasha as she went out the door. He growled, "Damn cat." Vamp climbed the stairs and turned the first corner.
"This will be Sesshomaru room," she said opening the door. He looked inside. A normal room with bath, bed, bureau, and balcony, some nice designs with curtains and other things. She left him to look around as she skipped to the next one.
"This will be Kouga's room," she said. It was basically the same as the first one. "Inuyasha across from him, Kurama in the next room on the same side, Hiei next to Puss," she turned anther corner, "and I'm on the end of this hallway, which Shippo rooms would be connected to mine, my mom's on the other side. So, you guys have one hallway and so do we. Kagura prefers to have hers downstairs."
They each went into their rooms, expecting it. Hiei's own was nice and dark with a big oak tree outside his window to his delight. Kouga had a nice view of the moon. Kurama had a nice view of the garden, which he couldn't see clearly in the dark, Sesshomaru's room provided some good books, and Inuyasha's had a nice bath for him. All of their things had been moved up into their rooms. Puss and Kirara went back to their nightly patrol of the area for any other demons.
Vamp walked into her room, which was normal for a little girl like her. A right sized bed, mirror, bureau, bathroom, and a nice big balcony with some trees reaching it. Toys dotted the floor as she walked over to close her window. Shippo stepped shyly inside looking at the room. There was a passage on the side of the wall.
"That leads to your room," she told him walking up to it. She pushed a button on the side and the door disappeared. She went on all fours. "Come on, I'll show you."
They crawled to the other side and came into a room very similar to hers, except of it being a bit pink and blue, this one was green and a bit of black.
"Now, whenever we need company you can just come over to my side." She patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. He smiled at her as she went back to her side to get ready for bed. By nine o' clock, Vamp was in her blue pj's and was brushing her teeth when she heard a faint rapping sound. Spiting out the suds in her mouth, she walked over to the panel wall and tapped back. She received another reply. She guessed it was his way of saying goodnight.
Happy, she went into her bed. Her mother was already asleep and she didn't dare disturb her. It took about five minutes for to go to sleep and three hours to be awakened by a scrapping at her door. Frightened and a bit curious she sulked out of bed and squatted on the floor. She made her way to the window, military style, and peered up to see nothing. Total darkness. She felt that same shiver when she met Kenny's two new slaves and didn't like it.
"Hmmm…" she mumbled going to her door. The room didn't feel right, too chilly for her taste. She knew whom she could go to. Besides, she was curious to hear his side of a certain story.
Slowly and quietly, she walked out of her room and down the hall. Turning a corner and using the walls to guide her, Vamp found the room she was looking for. Softly as she could to not make any noise, Vamp pushed opened the door a crack.
"Hello? Any one here?" she asked in a whisper looking inside the dark room. Stepping inside and closing the door behind her, she looked around her dark area. There was a little bit of moonlight spilling into the room as a figure sat on the bed.
"Hello? Hiei?" she asked again stepping closer. A pair of red eyes shown in the darkness. Yup, he was here. Making her way over, she bumped her toe into the berriur. "Ow! Stupid wooden thing! Memo to my self, burn it in the morning," she said jumping up and down holding onto her throbbing toe. A small chuckle could be heard from the bed. "Sure! You're laughing because there's no pain for you!" she climbed into his bed and sat down comfortably. "I wanted to ask you something."
"Hn," was his reply. She sighed. "Don't mean to pry, but Yukina told a lot about you. How you were separated and whole lot of other stuff. Her and me are really close friends. I trust her and she trusts me. So… as a worried and wanting to know friend, who has nothing better to do in her life to than to put holes into people, I would like to know what happened. On you're side of the story, if you please."
He remained silent for a while. He shifted his gaze from outside which he had kept since she came in to hers. Not once did she falter from his pressing eyes, like she understood and was determined to hear him out. Sighing, he looked away from her. "It's none of your business onna."
"Really? If it weren't my business then Yukina wouldn't have trusted me with her secrets. I care for her just the same way I care for you," she said this calmly, waiting for him to open.
Hiei tensed up. Cared for him, no one ever did that except Yukina. And here, this little girl reunited them after all these years. In truth he had given up hope of ever finding his sister again. But now he knew where she was and vice versa. He was so happy when he held her in his arms. So in truth, he owed this little girl a lot, or maybe an explanation.
Waiting while he laid back, Vamp tried thought instead. 'I know you can read my mind Hiei. I knew from Yukina. And you know what else, she was right, you are stubbornly cute.'
This caused him to look at her weirdly. She thought he was cute? Now this girl really confused him. First she picks him out of the most unexpected place, then says they're friends and not slaves, is his replaced mother and now she says he's cute. Yes, she was a strange one.
"I know how it feels to lose a loved one," she said sadly. "My dad was gone before this house was finished, that was three years ago. I loved him very much." Her voice cracked as tears welled up in her eyes and ran down her face. Yes, he was dead, even though she didn't want to believe it.
A hand reached out and whipped away her tears. She looked at Hiei who was staring at her.
"We lived in the mountains, my family and me. But when we were attacked, my parents died," he said continuing to look at her. For some reason he felt respect for this little girl who had so much yet already knew so much. And not because she was his master, but because she accepted him as he was, just like she said Yukina would. He knew that he had a bad past and she saw through all of that and picked him. Picked this type of group.
So he told her, everything. From the attack for when they were made slaves and separated and how they lost contact. He stopped and paused at some parts for the pain was too unbearable. She didn't rush him, only gave a squeeze of the hand when he needed it to help him continue when it became too much to remember.
When he was finished he excepted her to screw up her nose or laugh at him. But surprisingly she did one thing he didn't intend her to do. Cry. She cried as the tears ran down her cheeks.
"That's so sad," she sobbed through watery eyes. "I knew Yukina's side of the story made me cry, but this is really sad."
She rubbed her tears on the sleeve of her pj and smiled warmly at him. "But I'm glad you found each other, that's the happy ending. Sure there is a chance you might lose each other again, so you should treasure every moment you have with her."
"Hn. For a little onna you're pretty smart," he said quite amazed at how mature she was acting. She smiled at him and extended a hand. "Don't worry, I'll keep quiet if you like. But for now, I want us to be friends, not slave and master."
For a while he considered this. Should he let his guard down? Last time he ended up hurt and almost killed. But here was a little innocent girl, opening her arms, love and affection to him a bloodthirsty killer. Gradually he could feel feelings develop this girl, and he really didn't trust them fully. His past would always be with him, but maybe he could make his future to be better.
Slowly, he reached out his hand and grasped hers. Her smile broadened and he grinned at her.
"Okay, I'll give it a try."
FANG: so lovey dovey.
HIEI: you make me sound soft.
FANG: do I?
VAMP: Hiei!
HIEI: ……what?
VAMP: I love you!
HIEI: urk.
FANG: awe isn't that sweat! Please review!
