Kuronue followed behind Youko quietly, too afraid to bother the infuriated fox demon. Night fell and melted into morning and drifted to noon, leaving Kuronue to walk behind his still angry friend. As evening began to approach again, he gave into the silence.
"We are not really leaving her are we?" He asked.
"We are."
The bat demon stopped and glared at the kitsune.
"You're an ass." He said.
Youko turned and glared back at him.
"What was that?" He growled.
Kuronue crossed his arms over his chest casually.
"You heard me, Youko. I said you're an ass. What you did to that poor girl was an ass move." He said.
"She deserved it." Youko said.
"Do you know what you've done to her? Or were you too caught up in your new found emotions that you overlooked it? You were careless enough to get caught by a witch that Kasai had to kill in order to save you, getting her framed for the murder of the entire Collins family and making her an outlaw for the government to chase around the rest of her life, and that's if she isn't so heartbroken that she'll let them find her. You killed the whole town of Tataraba, which was her only 'home'. And now you left her wounded and venerable to attacks from Yomi, who has sworn to find her and either kill her or make her his slave." Kuronue said.
"She toyed with my emotions." Youko said.
"Idiot! She wasn't thinking about you. She was thinking about all the people she would save by taking her soul back. If she really wanted to hurt you, do you really think she would have reacted the way she did when you left her and called her a human?" Kuronue asked.
"That's what she is, Kuronue. You called her a human." Youko insisted.
"Yeah but that was how we were. We would tease each other and be rude and mean. You are the one who knows her true name and calls her by it. You are the one who was romantically involved with her. You are also the one who talks about how much you hate humans. You calling her a human the way you did, you may as well have said that she was nothing but a cockroach to you. I understand why you were mad, I was mad too. She should have told us her theories. But Youko, you took it too far."
"Why do you care? Isn't she just a human?" Youko asked, his voice sad.
"Not to you she isn't. She means the world to you and you know it. Can you stop acting like a petty human woman now? Kasai is probably in Tokyo right now making sure Yomi doesn't attack and you're standing here like an idiot. Let's go back and find her before Yomi finds her, kills her, and you regret this for the rest of our lives." Kuronue said.
Youko bowed his head in thought. He had never had a problem like this before due to the fact he never acted on emotion. He winced as he recalled everything he had said to her before he turned his back to her and left.
"What would I say to her?" He asked.
"An apology would be good. Maybe you could tell her how you really feel? The poor girl has had the biggest crush on you and I think you may have done more to hurt her than you meant to." Kuronue said.
'Kuronue is right. My choices have not been thought out like they should have been. I have taken everything from her and leaving her would not fix it; it only makes it worse. I have made her even more vulnerable.' He thought.
He looked up to Kuronue and nodded.
"Let's go." He said.
They took off, backtracking to the spot where they had left the swordswoman; the sun disappearing in the east when they reached the empty clearing. Kuronue sniffed the air carefully for Rirī's scent.
"She didn't leave until dusk yesterday." He observed.
Youko clenched his teeth in anger.
"She headed to Tokyo then?" He asked.
"Yeah; she must've stayed true to protecting those humans." Kuronue replied.
Youko nodded and Kuronue stood.
"Why would she do that?" Youko asked.
"Do what?" Kuronue asked, looking to Youko in confusion.
"Why would she stay in one place until dusk?"
Kuronue chuckled lightly.
"Maybe because she has the same feelings for you that you have for her?" Kuronue stated like it was obvious.
Youko snorted in doubt.
"Even if she did, after what I told her and after I left her, she most likely hates me." Youko said.
Kuronue rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.
"That woman must have taken your brain with her. Think a little will you?" Kuronue said.
Youko sighed and straightened.
"We better hurry and catch up." He said, then began running towards Tokyo.
Kuronue smirked and flew after him.