Chapter 7: Reverting bloodlines
Botan sat on the porch and gazed up at the clear summer sky. Peaceful days back at Makai were always like this… the blue haired deity sighed again and tensed when she felt lean arms wrap themselves around her only to relax when she recognized the scent that came along with the arms. Sighing again but this time in content, Botan relaxed in her lover's arms.
Kurama sat quietly as he held Botan in his arms. It had been a long time but he hadn't forgotten how she felt in his arms… how good and just how right. Lowering his face into her azure locks, he breathed in deeply, enjoying her cherry blossom scent. His arms tightened around her when memories assaulted him, tears escaped his closed lids when he remembered the image that had haunted his dreams for a long time… her crimson blood and lifeless eyes. His arms tightened around her, willing to erase the dream with vivid reality… that she was here in his arms once more.
Botan gasped when she felt his arms tighten around her and felt the tears that left his eyes. Turning in arms despite his tight embrace, Botan grasped his face and tilted his face to meet hers, amethyst clashed with emerald orbs filled with sorrow. "Kurama?!"
"It's been so long…"
Amethyst orbs filled with tears at his words and wrapped her arms around him. "Gomen…. I didn't mean to leave you…" she whispered in his chest
Kurama's eyes widened and shook his head vehemently, "Iie… I should have been there to protect you… I shouldn't have left you alone…"
Lifting her head, the deity glared at the kitsune in her arms. "What the hell are you talking about, Kurama? It wasn't your fault, no one knew that Kentaro was going to act that way… no one knew…" she whispered the last sadly. "I thought that he understood… I thought he understood that I could never love him the way that he wanted me to."
Amber flecks crept into his emerald orbs as he listened to her talk about the one person who took her away from him with sadness. He closed his hands over her arms as he shook her lightly, "What are you talking about? He killed you and you're feeling sorry for him?!"
Sad amethyst orbs lifted to face his enraged amber tinged gaze, "Sumanu… demo, thinking about it, I think he was only pushed by his anger when he realized that I couldn't love him… even before I met you, I've tried my best to love him the way that they said that I should love him… demo, every time I looked at him, I just… kinda see Amanoma-chan in him… I really didn't know how it is to love and be loved until you came into my life and stole my heart…" she whispered softly with slight pinkish tinge to her cheeks.
The youkai kitsune grinned at her words for he know just how gentle her heart really was, but his grin turned dangerous as he remembered how the bastard suffered under his plants. He blinked when he felt the deity's hand on his face, her amethyst gaze held a question in them. He merely shook his head, but when she persisted with a slight tug on his crimson mane, he reluctantly told her of what he did to Kentaro the moment he had spotted the youkairenji that had laid a hand on her.
Botan gasped at his words, "Kurama… you don't mean…"
"I killed him…" he whispered, a deadly gleam appeared in his eyes as he looked at his mate, "And I've never in my entire life enjoyed killing the way when I killed him." At her sorrowful gaze, he growled low in his throat. "He deserved nothing less for taking away what was mine!" he said vehemently that the deity before him sighed and shook her head ruefully, ruthlessness was so much a part of her beloved kitsune and she shouldn't have been surprised at his actions. Merely sighing in defeat, she glared at him softly before hitting his head softly with her fist and snuggled contently into his arms, and when he wrapped his arms around her, she sighed in contentment and whispered softly in his ear, making him smile and tilted her hear to meet his lips in a gentle kiss. "Aishiteru, Botan-chan…"
Botan blinked up at him in surprise and saw how his lips twitched to keep himself from laughing, "I told you before that don't know what love is, but when I lost you, my world practically stopped, and when I was given the chance to live as a ningen, my mother completed the task that you left behind, she taught me everything about life, and now to have you back in my arms, I believe that I've finally learned what love is…" Tears filled her amethyst orbs as she launched herself in his arms.
"Aishiteru, Youko…"
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"That was so sweet…"
Keiko sighed along with Yukina, Shizuru, Ayame and Hinageshi, who was peeking at the side to watch the two lovers reunite after a long time. Moving back to the main house, Ayame grinned at Hinageshi as Keiko and the others followed behind them. The two ferry girls followed Koenma when they had heard the rumors that Enma-dioh had given the order to forbid their resident Deity of Death of stepping inside Reikai.
"Now, I think I know where that powerful youki came from when she was still sick!" Ayame muttered to Hinageshi as they entered the room. Hinageshi merely nodded and took their place beside Genkai as Keiko sat beside Yusuke, and Yukina sat beside Shizuru and Kuwabara. Keiko sighed again, "All this time, Kurama kept quiet even when Botan was here beside him all the time."
Yukina looked sadly on her joined hands. "I can't believe all the things that they've gone through… it's so sad."
Ayame smiled sadly. "Yes, you're right it is sad, but come to think of it, they really must belong to one another… for they've already been separated for more than two hundred years, only for fate to bring them back together again."
Hinageshi smiled. "It's really so romantic and sweet of Kurama-kun… he never stopped loving her… even when she was taken away from him."
Shizuru chuckled, "But I think it has been really hard for Kurama. All this time, Botan was always here with us but he could never make a move for she had no memories whatsoever about her past…"
Keiko looked at Shizuru before nodding in agreement. She then turned her surprised gaze to Yusuke when he spoke, "Damn… to think about it, he has all of his memories intact and Botan was here all the time," he shook his dark head in disbelief, "he never made a move… not even once… to make her remember…."
Genkai merely shook her head. "Yusuke no baka. He didn't have to make a move because he was waiting for the right time, he knew that eventually she would remember her past and that included him."
"Hey... but still… it must have been real hard for him…" the young teen muttered under his breath.
"Demo… what's weird is that Kurama gave her the jewel of memories…it's as if he's known that she would be given a second chance at life…"
Hiei snorted and glared balefully at the Reikai prince. "He didn't know. Everyone who heard the legend of the youkairenji clan knew of the rumors that when they left their ningen body, they would either live as reiki or youkai. Kurama, being the cunning youko that he was, knew of that rumor…"
"So, when Botan-san would live once again, she would have a chance to remember her past with the use of the jewel, either she lived as a youkai or reiki!!" Yukina ended for him happily.
Hinageshi smiled as well, "And all that he would have to do is wait until he would be able to find her, to unlock all of her memories!"
Kuwabara scratched his head, "Demo… even if Kurama knew that Botan would be given another chance at life, where would he know where to find her first?"
Shizuru smiled, "I guess that he doesn't have a clue to that. The only reason that he was able to find Botan was because they were really destined to be together… and when you think about it, there are three worlds. Kurama knew that Botan had a powerful reiki, so basically, if she was going to be given another chance at life, his first option where to look would be at Reikai."
Ayame nodded as well, "And even though he didn't know when she was going to be given another life, one way or another, they were bound to bump into each other… she being a ferry girl and all."
Hinageshi chuckled, "Ne, Koenma-sama, you should be proud of yourself, if you haven't assigned Botan as assistant to the spirit detectives, it might have taken them a long time to find one another!"
Koenma merely scowled at the red-haired ferry girl before standing up. And she just had to remind me of that… "Well, I have to be going now. I have to give my reports to father…"
Yusuke frowned. "But that still doesn't explain what's happening to her right now…"
"Happening to who?"
All eyes turned to find the ferry girl beside the fox incarnate. Her hair was tumbling loose from her usual ponytail while the kitsune had his arms wrapped protectively around her waist.
Yusuke blinked first before grinning, "Well, we were just talking that even though you regained your memories, that still doesn't explain the sudden shift in your reiki."
"Oh…" as Kurama assisted her down, she winced when she felt another surge of energy pass through her body, her hands immediately clutching the kitsune's arms in response.
Kurama's eyes widened as he held Botan in his arms, "Botan?"
The ferry girl merely smiled weakly, "Daijobou… it's just…" she broke off as another powerful wave of energy threatened to split her body in half.
Keiko gasped, "Is she alright?"
Kurama was about to lift her in his arms when she mewled painfully and gripped his arms in a death grip. "Botan!" he cried out in alarm only to stop when he sensed her youkai blood… as if calling him, he blinked, "Botan?"
The ferry girl moaned in pain and dimly heard as Kurama call her name, first in surprise, next in question. At first, she had no idea what was happening to her, but when all of her memories returned, so did the knowledge of who she was and what runs through her veins. She shook her head slowly, "Daijobou…" she gasped softly, "it's just…" breaking off as she doubled in with pain, Botan gasped in shock, I never realized it was going to be this painful… "my youkai blood… it's calling me…"
Emerals orbs widened with understanding at her response and as he lifted her frail form in his arms, Genkai stood beside him, motioning him to follow her. And as Kurama stood, Genkai bade the others not to follow them.
Kuwabara stared at the old woman as she left with the kitsune and the ferry girl in his arms. "Why the heck did she want us to stay here? We might be able to help Botan!"
Hiei gave a snort at his words… "Baka. There's nothing that any of us would be able to do to help the ferry girl… this would all be in that kitsune's hands."
Before Kuwabara could give another retort, Yukina answered for him, "Kazuma-san, normal youkairenji's, when they die, they not only loose their ningen body but also the weaker part of their soul or blood. If the youkai blood is stronger, it will be the only one to survive and give them another chance to live, if it's their reiki, they will in turn become a spirit… never has there been anyone who managed to retain both youkai or reiki after they loose their ningen body. Demo, Botan-san is a different type of youkairenji, she has a very powerful reiki which not only gave her a chance to live and serve at Reikai, but it seems that she was also able to maintain her youkai blood."
Yusuke blinked in understanding. "Wait! Are you saying that right now…"
Hiei snorted. "That ferry girl is turning into a youkai."
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AN:
Well, here's the next chappie… though I don't know if this is going to be the second to the last or if I'm going to do another one… hahahahahaha!! Eniweis, I guess it's going to take me quite a while to do the next chapter, though… hope to hear from you guys!! Ja mata!!
Aoi-chan
