Hey guys! I-I'm sorry :( It's been a loooooong while since I've uploaded, so here you go. I've been uploading one-shots on my story "Stars of the day" so please follow and favorite it too. Requests are welcome Anyway, let's get started! Thank you for reading, looking forward to your reviews and I love y'all!
P.S Zueriou thank you sweetheart, I'm glad you reminded me.
"And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
Chapter 10: Training
She was exhausted.
Benio had been walking for endless hours, the long halls now progressively narrowing and winding. She had to feel the walls for a sense of direction.
The lost child had no idea where she was headed nor what to expect, the only thing she knew was that she had to make it out of here.
And soon.
The situation, lonely halls, silence reminded her of the times her mother had trained to channel her spirit pressure as a child, to relocate them to a particular area. But at this moment, the emerald eyed girl was trapped in her own mind's labyrinth with no spiritual powers whatsoever.
Would it work?
Benio halted her movement, deciding to take the risk, shutting her eyes and imagining the flow of energy, even her very own blood, relocate to a particular point at the core of her being. She could feel it flowing through her veins, her arteries, every path in her body heading straight to where the girl had wished, repeating the words "I'm not afraid" in her head to keep herself going.
And as Benio slowly opened her eyes, she could feel a difference around her, a different aura encapsulating her. Above the dark haired girl, something hovered. A strange black box floated down to where she stood, stopping at eye level.
And the sound of footsteps was audible.
Benio turned her attention to the stranger walking towards her, now on her guard. But how could any other person be here?
As the presence edged closer and closer, Benio finally began to take in her appearance.
Silken white locks cascaded down her back, charcoal black skin with cracks in places calling which scary was an understatement. Big black eyes, the myrtle irises of which remained hollow staring deeply into her soul. A pronounced yellow kuji kiri, the mark of the impurities was stamped across her chest and her legs sported black fangs. Out of all her terrifying features, there was a specific one that made Benio recoil in horror.
She looked just like her.
"So you have finally come," the monster said in her eerie voice, stopping at a meter's distance from the paralysed girl.
Benio's hands trembled, and yet she took a stance and bravely kept uttering the same words in her mind.
The creature before her cracked a smile and walked towards her, spreading it's arms wide, her eyes tracing every corner of their surroundings.
"Welcome to the inner sanctum of your soul!"
Benio pursed her lips that by now had lost complete colour into a thin line, analysing the creature again and again.
"Who are you?!" She finally asked, mustering the courage, stuttering, but attempting to mask her fear.
Even Kamui's entrance into her soul struck her as strange. The creature looked at Benio in amusement.
"How can any impurity be at the core of my soul?"
"He wasn't at the core of your soul," a laugh escaped her lips.
"I allowed him in."
Allowed?
"Who am I, you ask?"
The creature pulled a dagger from somewhere, but Benio didn't question out of surprise. Unsheathing it, she placed it on her arm and in one swift moment, slid it right across.
Blood began gushing out. Yet,Benio's wide eyes were not at the creature's action, but at the site of blood trickling down her very own hand.
Licking the metallic fluid that was dripping down her fingers, the creature smiled.
"I am you."
"What?!"
Mayura paced to and fro biting her nails in worry. Shimon sat by the diner, his eyes squeezed shut. He had just delivered news of her beloved friend's disappearence so it was only natural. In all honesty, he had expected a more violent outburst but was relieved when the only thing squeaking was the floor underneath her feet.
"But she was so weak...What if-"
Mayura slapped a hand over her mouth, restricting it from wording out her thoughts in fear that they would actually come true.
A hand rested on her shoulder, his warmth spreading throughout her body, calming her senses.
"She'll be alright," Shimon said pulling the worried girl to him after having noticed her quivering lips.
"She wasn't called a prodigy for nothing."
Mayura nodded into the salmon haired boy's chest, his fingers absent-mindedly drawing circles on Mayura's back in nervous energy. Both understood their partner's fears and silently supported each other.
That's how their relationship worked.
But at that very moment, both their fears were the same, just one name floating through their minds.
Rokuro.
"Let me tell you how Raijin came to the Adashino house."
Arima's words rang in Rokuro's ears, but his mind had already wandered into the very depths of Raijin's behavior.
He seemed strangely aloof and almost all of the members of the family were apprehensive to him, as if unable to raise a voice against him at all, as if his words were absolute, begrudgingly so.
"Close your eyes, Rokuro-kun," Arima walked to the boy who's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion. The silver haired man put his palm over his crimson orbs and Rokuro felt himself slip into a deep sleep.
"I'm taking you back, 14 years into the past."
"Hurry, Hyuuga-kun! There's no time!" Saki rushed to the cupboard, pulling out all her weapons as Hyuuga collected their talismans.
An impurity enroachment had struck the island, breaking down the strong barrier that had been placed there leading to a death toll of 40 exorcists in just 7 minutes.
As they opened the door to run out, Saki felt her feet being grabbed. She noticed her little 2 year old daughter looking up at her with big bottle green eyes resting on her puffy cheeks.
"Mommy," she said, now wrapping her tiny body around the older woman's leg.
"No go."
The mother bent down, cradling her daughter in her arms. In this state of emergency, Saki couldn't even tell if she would ever be home again. She hugged her child a tear slipping down her eye.
"It will be alright."
"Saki-sama!" One of the other Adashino family exorcist cried out, bringing the woman back to the present.
She carried the child out, handing her to the Adashino women. She kissed the child's forehead one last time and then with a solemn expression glanced at the lady holding her.
"Take care of my daughter."
Saki and Hyuuga rushed out the gate followed by a handful of people, not sure if they'd see their loved ones ever again.
It had been hardly fifteen minutes, but the baby wouldn't stop crying, writhing in the arms of whoever held her and wanting to leave the house. The women struggled to keep her still, but alas to no avail. She stumbled out of the main house and into the woods behind it.
The women rushed after her screaming, trying to grab her, but were held back by the men.
"That forest is-" They attempted to argue, but were quick to realise it was futile.
"Who cares what happens to the child?" One of them said,eyeing her crawling into the deep wilderness.
"Our child would be the next heir if she was no more."
Unable to argue with them, the women cried as they watched their niece disappear down the path inside the forest.
The forest of the dead.
Twigs cracked under the child's body as she stumbled into the deepest interiors of the wild, the only time she stopped being the moment her hands fell on something unfamiliar, something that wasn't land.
Something that wasn't earthly.
Sensing the movement of life in the forest, the giant creature began to move, it's large body shaking every tree, causing the pressure in the air to suddenly drop.
As the large creature adjusted to its new surroundings, Benio watched in silence, playing with the few broken branches near her tiny feet.
"How many centuries have passed since I had last set my eyes on a human?"
His voice boomed like thunder on a stormy night, slightly cracking. A large saffron coloured mound lifted off the ground, soil that had rested underneath it the same as it was centuries ago. Trees were felled by the force of his tails, all nine of which were ablaze, flames lighting each one of them. Ebony bead like eyes looked down at the child, who clapped her hands at the sight before her.
She didn't look fearful at all.
"What brings you here, Human?"
Benio burst into giggles, grabbing his forelimb like a mother to a child, something he hadn't felt in ages.
"I see," He rubbed his snout on her tiny face as she grabbed it in her little hands.
"You cannot form words."
Cries from the land reverberated through the the forest, reaching the child and the her trembling form, he raised his head to the moon, a low growl escaping his mouth.
"I cannot help you," He shook his fur, revealing the shackles tying him down, that had dug into his skin creating painful scars. He had long since given up trying to escape the chains that bound him to the Earth.
10 centuries ago, he had been confined in isolation to the area for his betrayal, yet he regretted nothing.
"These binds cannot be removed. I am bound for eternity."
After all, a 1000 years ago, he had been held down by enchantments that were unbreakable, even for the most commendable exorcists.
The child crawled over his body to where they were and grabbed the links of the chain in her tiny hands, analysing them. To the creature's amazement, they slowly began to disintegrate turning into nothing but ashes. As the force of her spirit pressure began to elevate, it seeped through his skin, healing the injuries inflicted on him in battle centuries ago.
"Who are you, child?" The beast now regained it's strength, standing on all fours as if reborn, shaking off all that bound him to the land as a traitor.
As he looked into the depths of her emerald irises, he found the answer he had been searching for.
"I see, you have returned."
He could hear her thoughts due to the energy transfer and they pleaded him to do just one favour.
Save those in trouble.
He bent his head before her, his eyes shut, pure respect resonating through every living cell in his body.
"Your wish is my command."
Saki and Hyuuga managed to ward off their sixth C class impurity, but their stamina had dropped quite a bit. Nobody average or below could survive the miasma that had flooded the island.
"Oi, don't drop now, Adashino!" A loud gruffy voice said, striking an impurity with his long range weapon.
"Had children and so you lost your touch?" He laughed heartily, almost drowning out the cries of the impurities.
"Shut up, Ioroi," A bubblegum pink haired woman tut tutted in her low voice, kicking impurities around like on a school football ground. "You're being more annoying than these monsters."
"Hasn't he always been this loud mouthed?" Golden locks whipped across the land, guns shooting bullets at the pesky creatures.
"Can't argue with that." Sky blue eyes gazed at all the impurities surrounding him, dragon scales spanning elbow down terminating in beastly claws.
"Jeez, you guys," a raven haired man with an annoyed expression along with an abacas jumped across the field.
"You're not school kids, ya know!"
Even with the combined powers of all the 12 heavenly commanders, they were falling short of resources. If this carried on, the battle would come to an end once all the talismans were over.
Neither side was willing to back down.
"Is there nothing we can do to stop this?!"
As the battle progressed, slowly, one by one S class and S class impurities began to appear.
The Basara.
Ten shadows were seen, and all the warriors froze. This would be their end. They were already being overpowered by sheer numbers, the addition of stronger ones would result in a massacre.
But before any other movement was made, a loud howl pierced the silence, taking all of them by surprise.
Fire lining each paw, every tail ablaze and eyes relaying the determination of his spirit, the beast pounced on the impurities, ripping them out of existence.
" This creature.." Arima stepped forward, his mouth agape and eyes widening at the site before him.
"The Thunder Fox."
Gasps were heard from everywhere, but it could not erase the moment. And out of all the spectators, only one caught something unusual.
"BENIO!"
Heads turned to look at Adashino Saki, who noticed the back of the beast, where sat her 2 year old daughter.
Hyuuga was about to attack, when Arima restricted his movement with a binding spell.
"What are you doing?!" Hyuuga exclaimed, trying to break out of the binds.
"Look," the azurette commander Taijo cried out.
"The hole is closing!"
As they watched all the Basara walk away, they eyed the beast who had made no move since the initial attack.
Above him, Benio sat, her hands parallel to her body, a centimeter away from her chest, chanting words the likes of which none of the exorcists had ever heard.
The words of Yin.
As the hole was completely sealed and the rest of the impurities were destroyed, Hyuuga broke the binds and ran to where his daughter was.
"Benio!" He screamed, standing next to the giant creature. He looked down at Hyuuga and then at Benio giggling Turning to face the father who prepared his weapons, he lowered his head.
White light engulfed the creature and when it dispersed, out stepped a man, turquoise coloured orbs watching them and dusty blond hair fluttering in the wind, a simple white yukata covering his body.
He looked so...Human.
Saki ran to where he stood, snatching Benio from his hands, kissing her forehead as the child continued to giggle.
"Are you...the fox youkai?" Arima asked.
He turned to look at Arima, a smile on his face.
"You are his descendants, are you not?"
Silence prevailed.
"You mean, Abe no Seimei?" The man looked nostalgic a bittersweet smile on his features.
"I haven't heard that name in ages."
With slow footsteps, he walked to the Adashino's who flinched but were ready to fight.
Kneeling before them, the man spoke.
"I owe her my life," He said, addressing Benio with respect like none other.
"I shall never leave her side again."
Nobody questioned his words, or the "again" in them, but they certainly never forgot that day nor his contribution. When Benio woke up the next morning, she seemed to have no memory of the events. Even on meeting Raijin in human form, she recognized him immediately as if he'd been by her side all her life. Instead of calling him by what most others did, she chose another name, one name only she would address him by.
Kinako.
The entire situation was very unusual. Arima had granted the youkai permission to live as a human, granted that he would never attack them, which he swore.
But the hostility he felt emanating from the members of the Adashino house never left his mind, even as he realised that Saki and Hyuuga were clueless to this behavior. And he realised that this hostile attitude was towards their 2 year old child as well.
He was her guardian, her protector, her everything. And to him, she was his world. He loved her like a father loved his child and the Adashino pair would freely go for duties without any worry as to where their child was.
But his very existence was a threat to most, who believed he should have died all those years ago. He held secrets like none other so many were just buried in him,he had seen the world for a thousand years and that only increased the fear in all their hearts. So he had sworn to never leave the Adashino house, a promise he had kept for 14 years.
But this very promise was the reason he could never rush to her side,to lend her a shoulder to cry on.
And sometimes, he regretted that.
Rokuro, who had been watching all of this as if in the centre of it glanced at his could be - would be wife as a child, smiling and giggling even in the face of danger. He just hoped she was safe right now. How he wished she was where he could never get his eyes off her!
While he was lost in his thoughts, everything around him began to fade.
Fade to white.
"Oi, underwear man? Where are you?"
Rokuro spinned in all direction, trying to find a trace of anything...alive.
"He isn't here."
Rokuro turned around to face the stranger; long crimson hair fell down his back, his heterocolour eyes gazed at Rokuro with a smirk. He wore similar clothes to Shimon, only a bit...darker?
"There's nobody but me and you."
Rokuro positioned himself, ready to attack or defend depending on the situation.
"Who are you?!"
"Unomiya Tenma, Kijin of the 12 heavenly commanders," he said, suddenly vanishing from in front of the crimson eyed boy.
"The strongest exorcist."
Rokuro jumped forwards in surprise. In a millisecond, Tenma had vanished from in front of and appeared behind him.
But how?
" 'How', is what you're thinking, isn't it?" Tenma said smugly almost as if he'd read the younger boy's mind, which was ofcourse not true. He had only judged by Rokuro's expression.
"Consider yourself lucky, twerp. I'll teach you how."
The strongest exorcist of all. This boy. His opponent. This boy. Rokuro opened and closed his mouth like a fish, unable to register his situation.
"We have till the end of today in the real world, which would amount up to three days time in this plane of reality." Tenma played with a talisman in his hand, chanting words which dematerialized, leaving a timer in it's place.
72:00:00
"What happens if we cross the time limit?" Rokuro asked, still skeptical about the whole situation.
"We never return to our bodies and remain stuck in limbo forever," he said, now facing Rokuro who was growling in anger.
"Don't give me that crap! Get me out of here goddammit! Benio is.."
He was in this mess without a choice. Either he beats this boy and gets out or he stays stuck here forever. Tenma scowled. He knew the boy's situation was terrible and as much as he wished to help him, being kind was not the way out.
"The clock has begun to tick, Twin Star Twerp," Tenma watched Rokuro's hands reach for his talismans.
"Make it fast so I can go back and eat my prize dango."
This better be worth it.
And I'm done! Maybe this is just my infatuation with Tenma, but don't you think him teaching Rokuro would be awesome? Thank you for reading and I'm looking forward to your reviews. I love y'all!
