doing a chapter of kurama's point of view
...
I stared into the bloodshot, tawny eyes of my mate. I had hardly ever seen her cry, my capture really taking a toll on her. I only remember too well what it was like while he was forcefully taken from behind my back by Yomi, watching her trapped in that cell for over a year. I knew how she felt, and I wish I could have taken that pain away from her. Tears did not suit her, and pulled her tighter to me. I could no longer look at the pain that was caused, pain that I helped cause by not being strong enough to fight off the mind control thrust upon me. But part of me knew that it was all supposed to happen that way, that no matter what, I would have been taken by Wakana.
I had very clear memories of what happened during my captivity, and I know I am not proud of having mated with the bitch. What I am happy about is my mate's devotion towards me, despite the stench she had once smelled, her determination and getting me to come back even knowing what I was doing with who. My body reacted naturally to her, it was something that no one could take away. I often wonder if that was just some sort of test, something to prepare us for events that could turn even more sour. But alas, we will never know, unless there is a clue in the finished prophecy.
I kissed her for the second time with a clear mind. It felt like the first time I had ever done so, when I had broken into her den. Centuries had passed since that moment, and I loved her even more since then, if that was even possible. Her lips were soft against my own, the smell of her tears invading my senses. I tried to soothe her, but she was so distraught over the recent events of not only what she perceived to be her failure of me, but what had happened to the rest of the pack. I pulled away from her, but i wasn't far. My lips were grazing hers, my forehead pressed against hers. I wiped her tears with both of my hands, her body stayed against mine. He held her head in place, and then I greedily claimed those lips again.
I could not help myself, I never could around her. The slight movement in her hips told me that she had the same idea in mind. She pulled away for only a moment, hopping back up onto the branch she sat upon before my arrival. It was not the first time the two of us had mated in this tree, this sacred place to her, but it would be the first in a long while. There was hardly a gap between us in her movements, I was being pulled by just the power that is my mate. I felt the desire overtake my body, and I showed her exactly what that felt like. Her movements sent me out of control, and I let it all come over me.
I could hardly breathe when I was finished. The crisp air was probably the only thing keeping me from losing consciousness. I moved off of her slightly, but keeping close. I did not want to crush her lungs. Her breath is hot and heavy on my neck, and I kiss her once more. She smiles at me, and then shudders. I take that as a sign that the cold air is starting to sink in again, and I dress myself. We stay in contact with each other, and I steal kisses from her when I can. I admit, most of my self control was used trying to play with her, to see if she could figure out whether or not I remembered her. But after I shattered that illusion, I could no longer contain myself.
We sat together in her tree, my mind filled with the sound of her breath as I held her close. I knew that my awakening would trigger the need to share the information that has come to everyone, but I wanted my time with her. In many ways, I had failed her as well, failed to keep her from pain. There was nothing I could do to stop it, and my only wish was that she never had to suffer on my account. I pulled her closer, wishing for her to know that I was here now, and I was never going to leave her. She sighed contently, leaning her head against my cheek.
"I hear a lot has happened since the tournament," I spoke softly.
"Yes. It's been quite the adventure," she murmured.
"Kuwabara's powers have improved since I last saw him. The powers of a seer have already started to take its toll."
"I didn't see it coming. At least, not until he had almost a similar dream to mine."
She placed her hand in mine, and I fingered the ring I had placed there. The engagement ring that she hardly understood, but kept because that was the custom, "Keiko smells half demon now. She must have sought out Orochi."
"You know of him?"
I nodded slightly, "I know he was banished from Makai centuries ago. He was unseen or heard of since then. His experiments were not unknown."
"I can only guess as to why she would want to become any part demon."
"Her life span. But I fear we are to blame for her choice."
"Us? But how?"
"Human fairy tales often talk about love like ours. It is spoon fed to girls at a young age, shaping them to believe that it exists for everyone. While that's not entirely true, many human females will spend their lifetime trying to shape their mates to be the one of their dreams, to have a love like ours. Keiko is no different, and she's seen first hand that it really does exist. If the two of us can have it, why not her? Yusuke and Keiko deserve that kind of happiness."
"And Keiko knew that it couldn't happen if she were to die so soon," she sighed, "If only there was a different way."
"There is not. The change in her will start to dominate her way of thinking, and being a full human will start to become unappealing. She appears to be okay with it, but she still has a lot to learn."
"Yukina would be best for that."
"I saw Yukina looking for Hiei. Did he finally decide to tell her?"
"Not exactly. Yusuke sort of blurted it out vaguely. I don't really know how that's going to play out, but we should keep an eye on them all to make sure we don't have any fatalities."
"Agreed. Shall we join the others?"
"Not just yet. There is something that needs to be done first."
She got up and I followed. She walked at a leisurely pace, and I wasn't in any particular hurry. She brought us to her garden, ignoring everyone who stared at us. I could hardly keep my eyes off of her. I was very aware of Yomi's gaze upon us. He had been sleeping in her garden since he had been to the temple, and I could never help but be suspicious of his actions when it revolved around my mate. But San seemed to ignore his presence as she stopped at the Dragonite. I joined here, aware of Yomi's stare as together we fed into it. It had gotten a lot bigger since I had last seen it, and I knew instantly that we were going to move it. There was no way it could stay here, it stuck out like a sore thumb.
I looked at her, wondering what her plan was. She knew the forest around here probably better than Genkai, and she would have the answers I needed. San's eyes were lost in thought, as she stared at the sacred tree. It had grown so tall that even in my demon form I would have to look up to see the top. The leaves were a combination of our colours, silver, blue, purple. If kept here, it would easily overtake the temple, and that was something we simply could not have. I remembered when I would stare at this while she was away, and watch it slowly die. I ever imagined that it would get so big, at least, not after San had disappeared.
Yomi kept his attention on us, and I wish he hadn't. This moment belonged to us, why was he so interested in what was going on here? He didn't have to stay, he chose to. He seemed to always be watching the two of us, always studying. I could never understand why. What did he want from us? From me? From her? It was an answer I was quite sure that he did not know.
"What did you have in mind?" I finally asked her, wanting to get away. Yomi would not follow us where we went.
"I was thinking along the territory of the wolves. Everything I have placed there is well guarded," she replied.
"The wolves..." I somehow knew that's where she would want to go.
"Did you have something better in mind?"
"I do not know the forest as you do. But I trust that you have given this a lot of thought."
"Yes, yes I have. The wolves are the best bet. There is not much that can get passed them without me knowing, and it would be ungracious to not inform them of demons that may die in their forest."
I nodded, my eyes back on the Dragonite. It was not that I did not like her placement, I was just unsure of if they would accept something like this. The peace with the wolves was shaky at best, and I remembered Hiei's warning about the mate of the pack leader. She despised anything to do with San, and I did not want something to happen on accident to trigger an attack. Perhaps I was being over paranoid, a side effect from my experience with her realm.
I watched as she started to gather her energy. I joined her, knowing that it was the only way for us to move it where we needed. We took it over the temple, knowing it wouldn't be any good to take it inside. Besides, it would become damaged, seeing as it was too big. I finally felt better no longer being in Yomi's sight so to speak. We made our way into the forest, walking towards the wolves. San stayed in her human form, and it was the first time I had ever seen her do that. I wondered what the purpose of it was.
"You have not changed," I merely stated.
"I have no power in my wolf form. I hardly have power in this form," she replied.
"I did not know you had no powers in your wolf form."
"I thought you would have known. While I am more powerful than a wolf of this world, it is only because that form was born in the Makai. My senses are the highest they could be, my speed grand. But the price of that is I am unable to use my demon energy, or even the reiki I command in this form. You also might have noticed I had no scent. It is something that only I know how to do in that form. The power was granted to me when I used to go out and hide in this world, searching for you absently. I did not want anything to interrupt my hunting."
"Would that not take the fun out of the hunt?"
"No. The fun of it is finding and catching, not getting caught."
I smirked.
We stopped once we reached the edge of the wolves' territory. We knew better than to enter, especially with the power of the Dragonite following behind us. Nothing in this forest seemed to change, and I knew that the wolves would come to meet us at their first convenience. It wouldn't take long, they would sense the power that we carried with us. Of course, wolves were mostly predictable, which was why I knew that they would be here quite quickly. I was patient, knowing that San would have to talk to them first, and then we would see whether or not we were even allowed in.
Hiei was right about the pack leader, he was on his last legs. I was surprised that is mate was not with him, that no other wolf was with him. He was alone, and I wondered if he had ever come alone before. San spoke to him in the manner of the wolves. I knew she would tell me what was spoken, it appeared to be a very serious conversation, which was very uncommon with wolves. I kept my gaze on the two of them, studying, trying to see if I could figure out what they were saying. I suppose the only way to know would be to get her to teach me. After a few more moments, I saw the pack leader lope away, San turning to nod at me. She began to walk and I followed her on a path she only knew.
"The wolf is unwell," I noted to her.
"Yes, he is very sick. His mate and two of his young died as of late. The whole pack is demoralized, and he struggles to keep them together," she explained calmly.
"What killed them?"
"It was something they ate, some sort of vegetation that started to appear about the same time I came back."
"Should we check it out?"
"That's the agreement for placing our tree in their territory. Not only will it be safe, but it will keep them safe as well."
"It must elude them not to have a taste of whatever is growing here."
"Yes. Which can only mean that it is not of this world."
"Stranger things have happened."
"Perhaps. The soil I want is just up here."
I followed her into one of the many clearings in the forest. I had been in the wolves' territory a few times, and there was always somewhere new to go. They had a large den, and their terrain was vast. I was impressed and curious as to how San knew so much about where it started and ended. How much time had she spent here with these pack of wolves? Jealousy was probably the only way to describe how I felt when I thought about the 15 years we spent away from each other. I missed out on aspects of her life that I could never get back. I admit, I always had this fear that she regretted leaving herself as wolf behind to join me in my life. Perhaps it was because she was still such wolf that it made me think she yearned for her old life. But as I looked into her tawny eyes, I only ever saw love for me, the love that she had for only me. I never saw regret when she was in her realm, only annoyance. She was mine, and I often wondered what I did in my life to deserve such a creature at my side.
She nodded at me once more, and we used our energy to place the Dragonite in the center of the clearing. It filled the small gap in between the trees, looking puny compared to the rest of them. There was no telling how tall it would actually become, Dragonite solely depended on those who were bound to it. Soon it would produce weapons, ones that were unique only to ourselves and the reflection of the energy we had fed into it. The two intertwining trees to form one seemed much happier in its new location. San held a small smile on her face as she looked up into it, and I took her hand in my own.
"It really is quite beautiful," said a very familiar voice from behind us. I instinctively took a protective stance in front of San, while she went into the defensive, both of us turning to face our unwanted company.
"Itsuki..." San gasped. My eyes hardened.
"What do you want?" I growled at this demon.
"Ever the defensive one, Kurama. I merely grew bored of isolation, felt something in the wind, and thought it would be nice to talk," said the psychic.
"You really expect me to believe that?"
"No. But I expect your mate to."
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. Itsuki may not have looked like he was ready to attack, but he didn't fight in the physical way. San, however, came to stand beside me. I was very aware of her presence, I always was, but she was no longer in the defensive.
"He won't hurt us," said San confidently.
"Perhaps you'd like to tell me why?" After our particular ordeal, I was not willing to take any chances.
"Because I have never cared for anything in this world besides Shinobu," said Itsuki.
"Then explain to me why you're here now."
"Isolation is often tedious."
"And how is your eternity?" asked San.
I watched Itsuki's eyes soften, turn into an expression I only knew too well. It was the same way I looked at my mate, the same way I felt about her. I relaxed a little, finally understanding why San was so sure that Itsuki would not attack us. I kept my guard up, even though he was only here to talk. As previously stated, I was not willing to take any chances. I would not be separated from my mate anymore.
"We are finally at the peace we deserve. Shinobu rests and I watch over him. I cannot think of a better way to spend the rest of my days."
"And yet you are here."
"Yes. I had this sudden thirst for conversation. Despite being my abyss, I do have some advantages. I have been keeping an eye on all of you, curious as to the fates of those who gave Shinobu the final gift he ever wanted after his soul was divided. A lot has happened over the years."
"That's an understatement," San snorted.
"It was you I wanted to speak to. You still have not taken the advice I gave you inside my Reverse Man."
"To employ the kind of power that can control a Yamante? I hardly think that a skill like that would be useful."
"You misunderstand me, your Majesty. I was merely referring to the power of controlling minds in the first place. If you had developed your skill like I had advised, you would not have lost your mate the way you did. If you had developed the skill while he was taken, you could have gotten him back much sooner. But yet, you refuse to invade the minds of others, to use the power that they control. You have experienced first hand what the power of your telepathy can do, and you are still ignorant to it."
"Is that all? I certainly don't need you to tell me that."
Irsuki smirked, "So, you're seer powers seem to still be working. You've envisioned my taunts, haven't you?"
"Of course. You can leave now if that was all you wanted."
"You need instruction, my Queen. The current prophecy would not have pulled me out of bliss if it were not necessary. You need instruction and I am the only one who can give it to you. In other words, I have come to collect you so that you may learn."
"Absolutely not," my gaze hardened. San was not going anywhere with this demon.
"If it were possible for you to learn, I'd rather take you. Your mind is much weaker than hers, but you do not possess the gift of telepathy."
"Hiei is more than capable, and trust worthy."
"Ah yes, the young fire apparition. The truth is, he's hardly any better than your mate. She needs to learn and you've seen what I can do. You may not like the idea, kitsune, but you know that I am the best suited for the job."
"No."
"Kurama stop. He's right and you know it," said San.
"I forbid it."
"Forbit all you want, you are not pack leader. I am, and I agree with him," I turned to look at her, my words just about to escape me when her eyes instantly shut me up, "I refuse to lose you because I could not be strong enough. You know that feeling, you lived with it for three years. I hate that I put you through that, will never forgive myself just as you wish if I am unable to be prepared for next time. I feel as if the world's themselves are trying to tear us apart, and the only way to fight back is to use every one of my skills. I can't pass this us when it has so willingly presents itself in front of me. I love you, Kurama, I can't lose you again. You would do whatever it took to protect the pack, and this is something I must do."
I held her gaze, taking in everything she had told me. Of course what she said made sense, but I did not want to be apart from her any longer. What happened to me was not something she could have prevented no matter how strong her mind was, but there was no way for her to understand that. She would forever blame herself, just as I do for her disappearance in the first place. I hated that we had to be apart more often than not, but I knew that she was going to go no matter what I said. I nodded slightly, hoping that she understood my displeasure.
"Very well Itsuki," she turned to face him, "I accept your offer, but at this particular moment I cannot go with you. If you've been watching then you know that I am in the middle of fighting a war. In two days time, I will be ready. I must first find the disturbance in this realm, and then plan my next move with my pack. There is a lot we need to catch up on, as I am sure you also know."
He bowed to her slightly, "In two days time, I will be here to collect you," said Itsuki.
"How long is this likely to take?" I posed the question.
"That all depends on your mate and how quickly she can learn," said the psychic before disappearing into his abyss.
I kept my eyes on the place where he just was, wishing that it all never happened. But I could still smell him, and I absently squeezed San's small hand that she had snaked into mine. She brought my attention back to her, I led her away from this spot, not wanting to think about what was upcoming. If only there was a way for her to learn without her presence disappearing from mine. How would she even explain that to the others? But I knew she wasn't planning on it. Was this the right move? I stopped walking noting that the day was starting to end. It was getting colder, and I turned to face her. Those tawny eyes, they burned with love for me. I knew she was sad about her decision, and I also knew that she was going to do this. She would do whatever it took to protect the pack.
"You're wrong about one thing, San," I spoke softly, moving closer to her.
"What's that?" her eyes flickered with worry. You had to have really good eyes to see the slight change in her expression for that brief moment.
"I would not do whatever it took to protect the pack. Only you. The world can be damned, this one, Makai, Reikai. I don't care about any of them if you are not here to be with me in them. I thought I lost you twice now, and I cannot bear the pain of going on without you. Three years could not even disperse any of my sorrow. I care about the rest of the pack, yes, but you, my koishii, have been the only thing in my life worth protecting, the only thing in my life that I would risk everything for," I expressed why I was so adamant about her remaining here with me. She smiled sadly, taking in all my words, twisting them around in her mind. I often wondered how she thought, what was running through her mind on a daily basis, during every interaction we had. But as Itsuki had said, I did not possess the gift of telepathy.
She smirked after a moment, raising a brow, "So I'm a thing now am I?"
I smiled warmly at her, "You know exactly what I meant, koi."
"Yes, just another treasure," she sniffed.
I pulled her in for a kiss then, "My only treasure, my ultimate treasure, and I assure you San, nothing is going to tear us apart anymore."
She kissed me this time, at a loss for words. I meant everything I had just said. No more would I be separated from her, and the next one to try would find themselves subject to a very torturous and painful death.