Hello, and I'm back! Enjoy, and I'm sorry if any of the chapters have had crazy font!
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Chapter Nine: The Encounter
White clashed and gold glinted dangerously under the moon's intensified light as the youkai proceeded through the dark. The figure sprinted easily through the tree-burdened forest, clutching a wooden mirror in hand as he excelled past the pace of any average being.
"Over there!" A man shouted from behind.
An elegant fox ear smoothly swiveled around to the noise as the intense golden orbs glanced out the corner of their sockets to see if the men had caught up to the beautiful fox demon. Youko turned his attention back to the unclear path ahead of him. His ear perked and vigilant, he listened for any sounds that suggested the distance between him and his pursuers. He glanced determinedly ahead, blinking as he became but a blur of silver against the thicket.
"He's there, I saw some silver over there!" Another voice sounded from behind.
Youko turned his head a tad to glimpse behind him, his hair twirling slightly as he fluidly moved. A smirk slowly, reluctantly, held back by the thief, started to wind its way onto his pale face in excitement and anticipation. But…the thing is…He'd had a long, tiring night. And though thieving and massacre was the highlight of his longevity, along with a few other things, strangely, he needed a break from it once and a while; and when it came to smirking, his face would just automatically resume the state whenever blood was expected to spill. But of course, he would never suppose it would be his own injury (if possible of his own) that would leak.
He turned forward again, letting a sigh escape to calm his mind's lust for blood and pleasure. The almost complete silence of his footsteps was drowned away in the roar of the evening wind; its breath tossing the kitsune's lissom hair and fox tail, sending them flying behind him, and it pushed the cloth of his clothes ruffled against his toned body as he ran. He heard them, the hunters. They were still unbelievably on his unmarked and swift trail toward his home. He narrowed his eyes and growled in frustration as he continued his easeful pace. They were getting closer, he could feel their spirit energy flowing side by side, in the run along with the extreme rage that had been bottled up and then released at the absolute horror scene of the festival. Their nearness was almost impending, but 10 meters away, and their quick-footed possible danger approached as they gritted their teeth and pushed the scratchy bushes out of their way.
'I have to loose them.' Youko told himself.
He raced on, feeling the reflex excitement start to well up in his body and form an uneasy pit in his stomach as his two sides fought one another. One side, wanting to flee, and the other, wanting to fight, wanting to take on what it has adapted to be doing all these years. Ever since that day. That faithful day…long ago….
Blinking, the fox halted to a stop as he entered a clearing, the river seen through the trees familiar, the one and the same that had almost taken his life but a while ago. Blue and mauve flashed through his brain, and he remembered that fortunate girl. The girl that had almost inflicted a watery grave upon him; how lucky she was, and foolish of him, to have him save her. He wrinkled his nose and grimaced at the thought, 'a watery death' he thought to himself, ' Am I really that deserving of such a petty commoner's death?' He halted momentarily, but sped again. But not into the forest again; no, strangely, miraculously, so unlike him, he didn't flee into the surrounding trees, which was already contradictory to his regular self. No, he instead threaded through the thin group of gnarled and leaved structures and slipped onto the muddy bank of the river.
Mud blemished his white attire as he went tumbling ineptly down the wet and slippery slope of the winding course of water. As uncomfortable as he was with this escape plan, it had come to him as the best way to loose the ningens and hateful demons that had stalked him so far. He absolutely hated the filthy way down to the water, the multiple branches and shrubs seemed to break and scratch and cling to his skin as he made contact with them and the muck that lay under them was as much of a hassle if a plant did not cover it up. The disgruntled fox, if his hands had not break contact, he would have landed straight into the mire, either into an uncomfortable wet sitting position or straight face down. It was those times when he would have to work to get up, careful not to slip off the mud below, and initiate his velocity again, in hopes that his irritated growls wouldn't reach the ears of the followers. And after a great deal of agitating motions and falls, Youko finally reached the river, his efforts finally rewarding him in the cool satisfaction of the night waters' flowing stream, it's litheness so like a alive liquid black that bathed in the moonlight, and purged Youko's clothes of all it's discoloring.
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Botan sighed, for probably the fourteenth time since her early introduction to the hot spring. She raised her hand from the steaming waters and glanced sadly at it. Despite the redness it had from its watery retrieval, it had started to prune and Botan, like most girls, didn't think that was the most greatest or attractive thing in the world. She sighed again, it wasn't like she should care though, who was there to impress around here? Youko? Like she would sink so low as to date a…womanizer.
She brought her hand to her collarbone, almost as if embracing it, and surprisingly, she felt a heat hotter around her wrist than the liquid that welled around her, and her nerves quickly picked up the signal, and caused her to flinch. A yelp reached her mouth and she drew her other hand back, thrusting the heated away from her in unison; sending sprinkles of searing clear drops rising from the pool and into the air. And as if in slow motion, her eyes dilated at the sight of silver and the clink of charms. She paused and looked at the hoary for a second, her mind suddenly blank and searching for recognition of the object that laced her wrist. And though it seemed like a quick minute to her, in a fleeting split second, acknowledgment of the object flashed into her mind and backgrounding it, a young boy, just a few ages older than she, but ever so close in spirit.
"Taisho…" she whispered to herself. Her lashes lowered, covering the lavender eyes partially in remembrance of the sadness that had plagued her all these years. But the crystal like clearness of the lilac turned back to the present reality again and went sweeping to the bracelet on her wrist. 'How long have you been here? That I have not known you or acknowledged you?' she thought to herself. Her mind began to recollect to the previous night. The anger and jealously that coursed through her veins that night when she found that her teacher had unintentionally taken her role of the killer, and made her nothing but the watcher as he would take all the glory in killing her ultimate enemy, had now faded, but the pure hatred still lingered. But pushing the thought aside, she hardened her eyes and turned her attention elsewhere, and became fixated upon the opal on her wrist.
The foggy white of the pearls shone in the half-light of the room; the fire of the surrounding touching an orange glow upon its surface, making her eyes soften. Botan smiled at the lovely ornaments, her grin turning slightly confused yet quietly amazed as she traced the strange twisted central piece with her finger, feeling the now warm heated surface. Botan squinted at the feeling, its heat ever so familiar as it should be. She let a sigh of content waft from her mouth, and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. It felt so like living warmth, if not for the palpable falseness of it and its naturally cool surface that had been gnarled in an elegant fashion. She sighed, and leaving her thoughts at that, she placed her palms behind her, atop the ground level of the room, and lifted herself up and slowly, almost lazily, into a heavy cloud of steam. She squinted and waved her hand in front of her face, blowing the haze away and finding her way to the doorway of the entrance. Her mind started to wonder what she was to do with her clothes now as she walked nimbly past the huge plants (that continued to nip at her sleeves for water) and into the dark, torch lit passage way.
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Botan glanced around; carefully taking note of any being that might be present. Seeing that Youko had not reentered the cave, she looked around again unknowingly and gingerly placed her hand on the wall furthest from the light of the shining moon, from the entrance, and followed it's rocky surface to her resting place hours ago. She shivered as her hands traced the damp cave's walls, and her fingers now sensitive to touch after the bath, made the rough surface now seem scraping and pricking to her delicate skin.
"Ohh…" she wined silently to herself, "where am I going?"
Botan inched her fingers slowly across the scabrous inners of the damp cave, her body still sweating from her latest encounter of sweat-causing water. She rose each foot with caution, careful not to slip from under due to the extremely mobile sand below.
After what seemed like an eternity of crawling along the walls of the grotto, she could finally make out the brambly points of the hay and the smooth, worn bowl of a bed that she had slept in hours ago.
"There it is." She told herself quietly.
Letting her hand off the wall she hurried clumsily, tripping and slipping on the grains below, she stumbled toward the bed, and upon reach, almost falling straight into the rock. Her eyes widened in sudden fear and disbelief as she just narrowly missed the boulder, luckily and swiftly pushing her hands out to break the fall.
"Huh…" She sighed, still quiet baffled at her near escape. Straightening up, Botan turned around, and stupidly, fell backwards purposely onto the hard cold surface of her bed.
"Ow." She said, blushing from embarrassment, rubbing her hindquarters, "that hurt."
She sighed again, I really am being stupid. She told herself. Sighing for what seems like the twentieth time this day, she flung up her arms and shouted: "What's wrong with me!" And as quick as her hands rouse, she pulled them down to clutch her wet body, shivering as a swirling gust of leaves came passing through the mouth of the cave. Ridding aboard the invisible train of wind, the cold came swooping in and disturbed her limp clothes, the wind pushing itself against her body and chilling her already frigid body.
"It's cold." She told herself. Botan looked around the den, her eyes trying to fit into every spot of black that was in her front. I need something to change into. Her quick and natural senses told her. Her eyes squinted, and they seemed to shiver as her eyes stated to glance around the room. She tucked her head down into the shelter of her folded arms for a moment, her arms wrapping themselves around her knees and body to keep warm. She started to relish her breath, which had started to cloud and waft warmly within the security of her forelimbs, tickling her cold knees from above the cloth and keeping her frigid body warm. What is there in here that someone would want anyways! Her mind screamed, It's too cold on nights like these to stay in a house like this! Her mind started to complain silently to itself about its discomforts, her eyes still glancing around the room in desperation of finding warm clothes.
'What am I doing?' Botan asked herself, anger starting to kindle in her eyes, 'I should be up and looking for clothes, not sitting here. The exercise may actually keep me warm anyways.' Botan started to straighten out, her body still shivering. She walked quickly over the once difficult ground, stretching her hands out to grope at any cloth that may serve for warmth. And suddenly, miraculously, she spotted something. It was an anemic white in the darkness, but as she ventured closer, and its ghastly paleness started to disappear and become warm beige. A small smile started to come her face, and her eyes started to glint in happiness as she picked up the loose thick shirt from the small chair from where it lay. Quickly looking around again for signs of the fox demon, seeing emptiness within the cave as far as her eyes could reach in the half light, she raced into the direction she thought the hall had been. She staggered over the dull blanche looking sand to the corridor and fortunately finding it, Botan started to sprint gleefully down a short way into its depth.
A full smile came to her face as she reached what she thought was a safe distance from the doorway of the hall, taking a look at the fabric in her hand, and one last quick look around, she started to undress. Undoing the once elegant and now drooping bow at the back, she gently started to remove her obi. And her kimono advantageously still clinging securely in coverage to her body in wetness, she folded the obi and placed it on the ground. She straightened up in glee, smiling brightly and almost to the point of laughter. Strange? Yes, strange it seems, to be so happy about clothes, even one as ragged-looking as this beige attire, but the impending warmth pleased her in this time of (to Botan) despair and helplessness.
Botan continued to joyously undress to don the creamy garment. But as she raised her hand to her shoulder to begin to tiredly unplaster the peach of her kimono, she glanced around again, her intuition sending a shiver up her spine and forcing her to turn behind her. Her frame became still, and a scream threatened to spill as it welled in her throat. She suddenly, willingly, started to push herself into the nearest wall from the direction of her previous turn, from the alert and coldly amused aurum that ran along her structure, a smirk playing along lips. Botan's eyes widened, and finally finding her voice, she shrieked, blushing, and started to run in the other direction. She turned a bend and glanced back around at the offender. And Botan, her face flushed even more, and voice shaking, her body trembling no longer from the cold, but from anger, she demanded to the other: "Get. Away. From. Me."
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Youko sneered licentiously, "Well, look what I find once I return home? That," He said, standing up and walking to her, "should be so much of a show?" She flinched away and started to back up. The blush that adorned her pretty face flared up again, and she could feel his eyes matching her move away. She started when she felt something hard against her back, and horror captured her gaze as she looked back and met the dusty face of the cave wall. Turning back she gasped and reddening even more, her breath stopped once the fox's aroma reached her nostrils. Roses ensnared her smell, and she squinted her eyes close as she felt his warmth get nearer. She could feel it; he towered over her scrunching form, water dripping onto the muddy ground when it missed her body. Her arms were protectively together against her chest in reflex, and her knees bent as the demon placed one arm at the side of her head and the other, it's finger raising her face to meet his.
She opened her tear filled eyes and saw his molten gold gaze on her own. She shuddered, and gasped again, as she proceeded in the process of the lamentation. Youko's eyes began to flicker excitingly, and his face starting to lower toward hers. She suppressed a yelp, dryness reaching her throat, and her mind raced at what to do. She could feel his breath tickling her neck and check, and she could hear the mad swishing of his tail upon the ground, and she denied herself breath as he came nearer. And then she felt his cold, semi-wet cheek just graze her own and felt the inhalation of his mouth right by her ear.
"You should be careful, changing your clothes in someone else's house in a convenient location, it's a foolish thing to do." He whispered quietly into her ear.
Botan revealed her orbs of pink again and side glanced dazed to his face and cascading flow of silver hair. But then, suddenly, she gasped in fright, her eyes widening, escaping her abrupt down of guard, and she shivered, tears beginning to well in her eyes again. She squeezed her eyes closed, and her mind continued to fly thoughts and emotion within her brain, paralyzing her, confusing her, and rendering her helpless. She felt his tongue shamelessly lick over his lips and she turned her head to the side, attempting to avoid whatever his intentions may be. What am I going to do? She mind screamed. Sweating, she tried to calm down, and she relaxed, endeavoring to find someway to get out of the terrible situation she had now brought upon her. Her mind cleared, and she tried to remain tranquil under the fox demon's dripping impending shadow. She felt him getting even closer, and suddenly, a spark flew in her head and her eyelids shot open to reveal a determined pink.
Her nose wrinkled in aggravation and with all the force she could manage, she rose her knee to hit her pursuer. She heard him grunt in slight pain, and a look of success beamed brightly upon her face. But it all but disappeared once she saw that he had not released hold of her, for her slouched form had not helped her at all. Instead of hitting her target, she saw that his leg shivering and shaking in instability. She glanced at it and then backed up, straightening as much as possible from her offender. A firm expression remained unwavering on her features as she tried to straighten up for another try.
Youko growled, and held her where she was. She glowered at him, and watched as he furrowed his brow in frustration, his tail now slower in it's sweeping. Botan continued to glare at him menacingly, and was surprised to see him straighten up and let her up. Her eyebrows knitted, and she stared as he watched her straighten up. She erected her back, and returning to a normal standing position, she kept her distance. She backed up from the fox demon, confusion playing on her face. Her expression had become softer, but she made sure her defense still stood obviously, but it had indeed eased. She stared at him questioningly, her eyes narrowing as if to try to see past any facade the fox had put up.
Youko smirked. His arms now crossed, he stared back at her with an amused and expecting expression upon his handsome face. But suddenly it became strict and deadly as he opened his mouth.
"You should be more careful, be aware that this is my home. That goes for anyone's house." And with that, he turned, his tail swishing behind as he went, and walked out into the main cavern. Botan watched as he retreated into the darkness, his form easily seen among the black.
"You simply weren't worth it." Came a voice from the darkness, making Botan turn surprised toward the shadows. And even though she couldn't peer well into the dark with her human vision, she was sure a smirk played upon Youko's mocking face.
She glowered at the dark, but what she found was strange. She just couldn't help but feel that…he wasn't such a bad guy after all. But then again he did just try to violate her. She grimaced at the thought, and turned around again to see if she could make out Youko's withdrawing whiteness within the cave, or his mischievous glowing gold eyes. Finding no sight of silver or gold, she smiled and she picked the long beige shirt off the floor where she had dropped it seemingly some heated minutes ago, and she herself retreated. But not into the dark as Youko had, no, Botan, retreated into the light of the touch-lit hall, ensuring her own privacy as she went to change.
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Such a good writing mood today, at least, for that little 'encounter' if you want to call it that. Well hope you enjoyed it! Remember to click the review button! That is how I tell I'm loved! ^_^ (I know, weird, but yes.) Toodles! And another note. Lotsa ya basically say: Youko is an evil bastard, but yet you love him anyways. Yes, well, Youko is evil, I don't know why I make him so, maybe to get rid of my evil dark side that may plague my life? I don't know! I'm not completely an optimistic person often.^_^; And hope this chapter is ok w/ font and content, I really didn't want to read it over. ^_^; I should get a beta reader maybe…I don't know, I kind a like to read it myself.^_^
Reviewer time!:
lieiavalon2044: Thankies! Hey, what does "Ja!" mean? I asked someone before and they refuse to tell me. -_-; Can you tell me? Pretty please? ^_^?
Volpone: Yay, very nice to hear from you again, I'm glad you got your computer back, ^_^ And yes, I agree. Even though Youko is a bastard, he is very good looking. ^_^
Fire Gemron: Hello, nice to hear from you, it's been awhile, haven't heard from you since…*looks back* long time ago, yay, nice to hear from you! ^_^ And about Kuronue, him being in this ficcie, well…you'll just have to wait and see now won't you? ^_^ And yes, you were correct, he was in jail, don't we all just want to go bust him out and have him all to ourselves? Oh, and I've been to your website, interesting.^_^
shygurl: envious?! Wow, never had anyone say that before. ^_^ You liked the killing scene? Yay! I'm glad you liked it! ^_^ It's well written? Wow…Thank you so much, Thankies so much! YAY! *all happy, hands you a chocolate bar *^^ Enjoy!
Galandria the Vampire Queen: Hellooo! Yay, thanks for waiting for the future arrival of romance. Was this chapter of Youko hitting on Botan good for ya? Hope you enjoyed if not non-the-less. See ya later and I'm really glad you're enjoying my ficcie!!! ^_^ *big grin*
Frith: Wow. o_o, you think my chapters have really been no short of spectacular ^_^*big smile!* You really think so?! That makes me feel great! I'm so happy now, well happier than before, (which was already pretty happy)! Wow, ego going up! Anyways, I'm so flattered, Thank you so much! And for FN limited, we need a title I have noticed. Ummm…And, why is it FN limited? Limited part I mean.^_^
Liz Inc: wow, fic of your own, wow. And I'm sorry, but I don't know a red head ferry girl, but I do know there's one named Ayame? I don't know if she's made up, but she appears in a lota fics, (or are those all Volpone's?) I'm sorry I can help, I haven't seen the movie, either that is. I want the second one, and I guess the first too! Well, the second has Youko, but both look interesting somewhat. ^_^ Sorry I can't help. And yes, your computer is ok. ^_^
Lady Nightshade: Wow, you're so nice, apologizing for not reviewing, in a review. ^_^ Not that that's never happened and others don't do it, but I've never had anyone do it in a review for a chapy. Wow, you=good person. I'm glad you enjoyed it! And a convenient way to tell when someone updates is to put the author of the fic on your author alert in your author main menu page thing that pops up when you log on. That way you get an email that says when I start a new fic or when I update. But I guess it's only good if you check email, I know how little time so people have these days, me included. Ugh…-_-;. Anyways, I also always update over a weekend, not necessarily every weekend (I got HW, ugh-_-), but weekends, probably Fridays, maybe Sundays, Saturdays, you have time on weekends to check mail, right? Hopefully. Well, see ya later!
