Hohohooooo boy! This one took a bit longer than anticipated, but I think it was worth it in the end. To be perfectly honest, there was a lot of background fact-checking, some re-analyzing of motivations and plot points, and plenty of distractions. The story itself has been on my mind quite a lot though, and just today I thought of so many little things to add in later chapters that I needed to set up here, so there's that.
Next update will be accompanied by the first three chapters of my second story, which is, again, complimentary to this. You do not need to read it, but I mean, I would advise you do. It's pretty important, and my god has it been fun. Its also part of why this is taking so long. I had to make up for a lot of changes I decided to make, because I just love to torture myself. Anywhore... on with the "sho!"
Ever since I can remember,
Life was like a tipping scale.
Like an abacus I played with
Counting every win and fail.
'Cause I have lived my life in debt.
I've spent my days in deep regret.
Yeah, I've been living in the red,
But I wanna forgive and forget.
- Forget - Marina Diamandis
Self Improvement 101
The run, which would normally have left me winded, sent further shots of adrenaline through my system. By the time we all collapsed into an undignified heap (Kurama excluded from the ungraceful dog pile) I was ready for another race through the trees. The Pack members, however, seemed satisfied with our current position, taking their places as though following a seating arrangement, and it was possible they were.
I sat cross-legged in the midst of the pack, Kurama two wolves to my right and currently being inducted by way of forceful physical contact. He did not look particularly pleased, which brought me no small amount of satisfaction.
Alpha lay directly to my left, half laying on my knee and looking around contentedly. We had moved further in towards the pack's territory, the scenery growing clearer and less densely packed. A stream ran over a hill some distance away, and if Alpha's words were to be believed, that direction was also the way of the caves. The only reason we were not there was their mistrust of Kurama. I did not push the issue.
Trip bounced happily from one packmate to the next, his happy grin fixated firmly over his white fangs and showing no signs of leaving.
It was not so strange that I had mistaken him for his brother. They bore the same dark auburn fur, ruddy with flecks and lines of brown and grey, and the ears as large as bats. But where Spring's eyes had been more on the honeyed side of brown, Trip's were a rich mocha, just as deep and lively as the other's had been.
Another area they differed, I noted with a small smirk, was that Trip had inherited paws nearly twice the size of any of the others, the awkward proportions not at all helping him to outgrow his name. He stumbled more than once, righting himself without missing a beat.
His voice was slower, less erratic with his speech. In fact, his sentence structure was comparable to Mami's. The young wolf made his way over steadily (really, quite unsteadily) and plopped down before me, panting with lips pulled into an open-mouthed smile.
Speaker-Sister! You see us, and you have run, but you want more?
My lips twitched up, gaze resting thoughtfully on the perceptive animal. His chocolate eyes looked down at me adoringly, curiously awaiting my answer and ready to agree with enthusiasm. I reached up, and he allowed me to card my fingers through the thick, coarse fur along his shoulders until I stopped at the much softer, downy fur of his chest.
"I want to know things. I'm here to learn." He cocked his head, ears flopping over to one side as he studied me.
Learn what? Alpha questioned. You are Speaker, you know more than Pack.
I dropped one hand to nestle in the scruff of his neck, massaging gently.
"Some things, I don't know. I will learn by watching you, and Pack." Alpha huffed in acceptance of what was undoubtedly a strange proposal to him. Trip, for his part, seemed eager to proceed.
"What exactly is it you wish to observe?" Kurama asked suddenly, and I gestured to his chest briefly before returning my hand to Alpha's head.
"The only demons I have truly looked at, meaning with my energy, have been yourself and the perpetrator in my last mission. He is dead now, but I was able to see exactly how his power worked with his attacks. I believe I can replicate it, and it occurred to me that if I can observe and mimic other energies, I could do virtually anything with my power."
Kurama nodded in comprehension, his expression somewhat intrigued.
"It is possible, though some demonic energies are inclined towards certain specialties that cannot be repeated by your typical ki. I doubt your energy, sharp as it is, would bond well to plant life."
Sharp energy? Perhaps he meant it in the way that this was how my weapons manifested.
He stretched out a hand (maneuvering around a searching muzzle) and gave the grass beneath his fingers a gentle touch. He glanced down quickly, then back up, and I took the hint, pulling power into my eyes to watch his energy.
The amethyst aura flowed smoothly from the canals under his skin, caressing the blades of grass fondly, wrapping around them like glossy tendrils of carefully woven spiders silk rippling in the wind. The tiny strands sunk into the structural lines of the grass and diffused like vapor, carefully stimulating the growth center of the roots. The image of the energy web began to expand, veins broader and more pronounced in the stems.
I blinked, banishing the energy from my vision to see that several blades of grass had grown to almost five times their original size, a very obvious change which was rectified when Kurama withdrew his energy.
"You didn't see it, but near the end, I reactivated the cells to reverse the effects my power had on them," he explained, and I tilted my head back a touch. I stared for a moment, not entirely sure how to respond to his observation
"How did you know… that I didn't see?" I asked slowly, and the look of puzzlement he gave me in return made me question if perhaps my thinly veiled suspicion was unwarranted. It was disarming, in that he did not look like he had been caught out.
"You're eyes," he explained, quite deliberately. "They stopped glowing."
My brows raised in surprise.
"My eyes glow?" He gave a crisp nod.
"Yes, but only the sclera. It much resembles a jack-o-lantern, though the color matched that of your energy rather than fire." I hummed in thought, considering this new piece of information. It was certainly interesting to know there were visible tells of my energy use inside my own body, though it would have been preferable to know about them beforehand. Was it possible, I wondered, for the spiritually dim to see these displays? My own family would likely see it, in any case.
"It isn't really that surprising," I said after a moment. "I'll have to be more careful about it then, if it is so obvious."
He nodded, smiling wryly.
"Indeed, it's rather striking."
I nodded, turning my attention to the grass beneath me. As Kurama had, I allowed my energy to fall without much intention to the green, seeping into every cell in the vastly complex network that kept the plants alive. It was a slow, meticulous process, though it was likely the fox had greatly exaggerated it for my benefit. I could just begin to feel the tiny impulses running through the stalks-
But the grass was torn to shreds.
I frowned, retracting what little energy I had used, said: "I didn't intend to do that."
I glanced up at Kurama, who gave a sort of comforting smile, or perhaps it was only patiently indulgent. It could even have been gently teasing. All his smiles looked eerily the same, almost ingenuine, but with an annoying warmth that made his eyes seem to grow just that much brighter.
"I did warn you," he told me, in a tone that could have been either mocking or sympathetic. "I may not be able to see the energy within the body the same way you do, but it has a very distinctive feel to it when in use. I had little doubt you would destroy whatever solid object you attempted to bond with."
I narrowed my eyes, making yet another attempt, but the results were the same as the first. In fact, the damage was somehow worse. In my haste, the violet tendril lashed out at the ground, leaving a gouge of ripped up turf in its wake. My hair whipped against my neck as I turned my head to give him a narrow look.
"Tell me how to bond properly." He raised a brow, amusement painting his face with a small quirk of the lips and an updrawn brow.
"You cannot. As I have said, your energy is too sharp-"
"Then show me how to soften it," I interrupted, and he gave me a scolding look.
"That's impossible." I took a breath, ready to argue, but his eyes hardened, a sternness overriding the patience, emeralds darkening to near black. I bit down on my tongue, forcing myself into silence. Even the wolves stilled, possibly in reaction to my stiffened spine.
"You cannot recondition the nature of your own energy. It is the only constant in your body that will never undergo change or mutation, though a great many have tried. The power of any being will always be geared towards a certain set of traits that define the one who wields it. Your personality may change over time, but your energy will always be exactly as it was when it first bonded to your soul. That is simply fact."
He extended a small thread of amethyst into the grass I had destroyed, repairing the damage before my eyes until it looked as though I had never made my own failed attempts.
"My power is meant to bond with plants," he explained. "Such is the way of most animal spirits. It is subtle and gentle, like dust where yours would be more like a single hard stone. My energy is only dangerous when in contact with my element, but yours is by nature lethal."
I considered this, staring at my hand with a frown. To understand that this power of mine was flawed was certainly disappointing, but if what Kurama said was true, that would indicate I needed to be more inventive with my technique. Simple blades would only get me so far. Perhaps there were other forms in which to manifest my energy. Perhaps something like Yusuke's Spirit Gun?
"I understand," I finally told him. "In that case, do you imagine it is possible for me to utilize energy from my surroundings? There was a fighter we encountered here at the temple who used a basic muscle enhancement to greatly increase his strength. I was unable to examine his process properly." I had been far too fixated on Yusuke. Though, I did recall how it looked.
"You have a decent enough grasp of your own energy," he replied with a nod. "And the fact that you are human is certainly a factor in your favor."
"Oh? Are demons unable to do this?" I asked, a curious tilt to my head. He gave a delicate shrug, glancing down as a furry nose weaseled its way onto his lap. He pet the snout with a vaguely annoyed look.
"Demons as primitive as these would be completely incapable, though it is not particularly common among the higher caliber demons either. Demons in general are typically very attuned to their own energy, and as such deal in a specialized set of abilities. If it is not their nature or element, it would be very difficult to control. This is where the versatility of humans becomes a superior trait."
He gave me a conspiratorial look, his lips quirking up as though he found something amusing.
"Because human spirit energy is not inherent, it often doesn't bind to a particular specialty. Of course, it will always conform to your true nature, and any ability will naturally be different from another human attempting the same thing. If you were to infuse a natural element with your energy, it would most likely result in that element taking on the forms of blades. Plants, being living things, would be exempt from that rule, as would earth, being too solid and unmalleable."
I gave a thoughtful hum, letting a small sliver of my energy twist and twine around my hand, curling over my fingers like ribbon.
"Then it would be possible for me to manipulate water, for example. Or air." His smile shone approval, a knowing look from ancient emerald eyes making me slightly uneasy that he knew enough to have suspected that would be my question.
"Subtle, difficult to retrace, both with the potential to cut deeply. I feel those elements would be the easiest for you to control."
I almost suggested finding the stream nearby to test these abilities, but hesitated. It was yet unclear if my energy would affect him if I were to use it, and not let it extend at random. My attempts to win over the grass had not required much power, but there was no telling just how much damage I could do with any of the ideas seeding themselves in my mind.
"There is little I can do without inconveniencing you," I informed him. "For now, I would like for you to teach me the method you used to mask your energy, and to explain what sets it apart from simply keeping the power close to you. You still feel my presence, yes?"
He nodded, pointing at the large wolf whose head rested on my knee. Alpha eyed the fox warily, but did not move otherwise.
"That is something even these animals can do. When you pull your power in, only it's effects diminish. Imagine your power to be a large flame. When it is in the open, I cannot sit close without being burned. Holding it close to you is akin to placing the flame inside a stove. I can be very close, and not be burned."
"You can still feel the heat," I guessed. "How exactly do I mask this?" To my surprise, he shook his head.
"No, it isn't so much the heat as it is the light. A large enough flame can be spotted from several miles away without the heat reaching the one who sees it. What a demon does naturally, especially those who hunt for survival, is utilize their natural affinity to make them appear one with their world. Being human, that method would be virtually impossible for you."
"Then this technique is less effective with increased proximity." This time, he nodded.
"That, and your intentions often betray your presence. The pack here," and he gestured to the wolves surrounding us, which had multiplied as the remainder of the pack wandered over, curious about the congregation. "Was inconspicuous until they intended to attack. That was when you felt them."
Looking around, I could now count several new faces I had not seen that day. I was not able to identify them as they approached, and the fact that they had gotten so close without my noticing was disturbing. It was made less so with the knowledge that their intentions had not been ill, and that my senses would have detected them in that scenario.
"Alright. Where do I begin?"
Kurama moved to sit facing me directly, palms facing up where his hands rested on his knees. I mirrored him, activating my vision upon receiving a nod of confirmation. Immediately, the network of amethyst overtook my vision, surrounded by the haze of the forest. It was a pale green, almost lime but more sickly, only broken by the bright beacons that were Kurama and various wolves. Even without focusing on the trees, I knew the ill coloration came from within them. Through it all, I could still hear Kurama's delicate voice.
More than that, I could see his voice. It distorted the vision of purple like a gust of wind would disturb smoke, the image returning to it's design after the interference was gone. The veins shone brightly, like crystals held to the light, and he spoke in low tones, voice quietly encouraging.
"This is much like the basic enhancement you were suggesting, however instead of utilizing the power to augment your body, you would be laying it over your own energy, like a fitted sheet over a mattress. It must be exactly the right amount, not too much or the excess will be obvious to anyone who is looking."
As I watched, his energy thinned, spreading out like a drop of blood dissolving in bath water. It seemed to immediately draw in the green mist, adhering to it as though it was magnetized. Slowly, likely for my sake, he pulled back every drop of his power, every tiny piece of which was attached to a small piece of the forest. Pulling it back towards him, the pieces layered over one another, clicking into place like the pieces of a particularly difficult puzzle.
In just moments, he was nearly indistinguishable from the forest. In fact… I couldn't see him at all.
I blinked, banishing the energy from my eyes quickly, but found him still sitting there, staring back with a knowing smile. He looked quite pleased with himself, and I noted for a moment that the emerald of his eyes had shifted in hue for just a brief second, brighter and more luminous, a feral gold glint which only confirmed how fortunate it was that the two of us were not enemies.
"Why don't you ask your friends to demonstrate?" he suggested. I kept my eyes on his for a moment before they snapped down to meet the yellow gaze of Alpha.
"I want you to hide yourself from… the eyes of the spirit." The vernacular rolled off my tongue with ease, though I was sure those were not the words I had intended to use. Perhaps proximity and their numbers were influencing the language center of my brain. All their wild energies pushing and pulling at my psyche was bound to have some effect.
Why, Speaker? You know we are here, Alpha pointed out, a curious tilt to his head.
"I want to learn," I told him, but before I could explain further, Trip pushed his way into the conversation with an enthusiastic whine.
You will learn by watching Pack! You said it, Speaker said it before! He puffed his chest out proudly as I gave his head a pat. I smiled at him, and he thrust his head forward to shower my face with wet, slightly disgusting affection.
"That's right. I don't know how to do it myself, but if I watch your spirits, I can learn." Alpha turned to give some command to the rest of the pack, words I could not understand as they were not directed at me, but I knew I might soon miss my opportunity to observe if I did not focus.
One by one, their rainbow array of energies began to disappear. Each of them moving much faster than Kurama had to stifle their power. With my vision the way it was, they were all completely invisible in a matter of seconds, with some small fluctuations here and there. Like the fox, their energy seemed to immediately adhere to the greenish miasma of the forest, sticking as though glued in place.
"Amazing," I breathed, blinking my eyes back to normal to find them all staring back at me apprehensively. "You can stop now, I have seen enough."
Immediately, I could feel them releasing the cloaks. Kurama did as well, his power warm and lively in comparison. I had barely noticed the difference with how slowly he had performed, but it was certainly there. Allowing his spirit that freedom made the area just a touch brighter, somehow, and I imagined this must be something like what he sees, albeit greatly reduced in quality.
"We'll focus on figuring out how to attach your energy to the surrounding field," Kurama began, and I sat before him listening intently. "The energy here won't naturally cling to yours as it does with ours, so we will have to think a little outside the box for this one."
I nodded, my eyes making the transition to see my energy more clearly. With one hand held palm-up in front of me, I called a small sliver of power to the surface, watching the vivid violet snake through the sickly green air.
"Will this be enough?" I questioned, and there was a delay in his response. I tilted my head. "Kurama?"
"Ah, yes. Sorry, I nodded," he replied. "Can you not see me?"
"Not like this, no. There is only a vaguely human-shaped network of energy veins."
He made a noise of wonder, and the maze of amethyst constricted slightly. He must have leaned forward or something to that effect.
"Interesting. In any case, that amount of energy will suffice, and I will not be affected by it so long as you keep it close."
"That was my next question," I admitted. "So, how should I start?"
We did not run as we did earlier that day. Upon taking our leave, we simply took a pleasant stroll with the lupine entourage, and if we happened to have taken the long way out (past the field of hidden leviathan plants) I would not complain.
Trip loped beside me, his large paws leaving drag marks in the dirt even when he trotted. Somewhere behind us, there may have been several muzzle-shaped imprints in the soft earth from the constant displays of his natural inelegance. As he meandered around bushes and nipped playfully at his packmates, I couldn't keep my eyes off him. I imagine I was waiting for him to fall head first over a ridge, or walk straight into the mouth of a giant flower.
How he had survived for so long was beyond me.
Speaker, you had fun? It is good, Pack is good. The air around you is good!
He rambled, looking up at me every now and then with eyes that shone joyfully. His lips never seemed to lose the pseudo-smile, eternally pulled back over his teeth in a deceptively aggressive display. Perhaps the only thing aggressive about him was the force with which he would hit the ground.
"Yes, I had fun," I replied. "You were all very helpful." He preened, and I pulled energy into my eyes to observe this effect.
It was as I had noticed, that emotional responses seemed to cause fluctuations in the individual energies of the wolves. His thrummed and rippled, a pleasant cherry red overtop the darker demonic shade. I wished, for just a moment, that I could have seen Spring's energy. I was probably capable at the time, but it was not until the blackout room when I discovered it. I wondered what it would have looked like when he died. A dimming? Perhaps choked like a stream whose source has been dammed off.
You are Speaker. We will always help. This was Hail, a bracken-colored female who headed our small party. Alpha, weary from the first run, had assigned her as our guide to the edge of the forest. She seemed competent, her eyes holding an intelligence beyond even the aged wolf. Her frame was the largest by far of any I had met, and it was with a strange discomfort I realized that, upon my next visit, she could very well be Alpha.
Her energy was a calm blue, one that did not have nearly the same propensity to shifting with emotional stimulus that the others did. In fact, I had to squint to see it at all. She, along with Alpha and several of the elder wolves were quite adept at masking their energy despite intent. Even as she made to attack another of her pack at one point, there hadn't been so much as a flicker. Without seeing her physical body first, I would not have known where or how to look for her. She could easily have killed me, if not for my own power.
I, on the other had, would have had absolutely no chance of sneaking up on her. Or on any other wolf for that matter. I'd had no luck at all forcing my energy and that of the forest to cooperate.
Of course, I did not expect it to adhere immediately, but all of Kurama's suggestions and my own ideas had proven essentially useless. If my power encircled the forest, the effect would be woefully incomplete. The effect gave a dappled appearance like algae dotting a boulder. Layering it like scales was terribly inefficient and took up far too much time, as well as too much energy to create the barriers. Even then, violet would still shine through.
Any attempts to infuse the surrounding energy with my own had resulted in the forest miasma shattering and dissipating, like filling a balloon with too much air. That did, however, give me a particularly interesting idea for future experimentation.
Kurama eventually called the session, and we moved on. At the very least, I was able to hold enough of the forest energy around my fist and give Kurama a decent bruise on his ribs. We discovered shortly after that the healing rune was unable to pull upon the energy from the trees, forcing me to donate my own power. It was fortunate Kurama was unaffected when my ki was being directed at something other than him.
"I will remember that," I finally responded, and she gave a gruff nod. Our party breached the treeline, and I blinked, shielding my eyes as the harsh afternoon light assaulted my vision. I could see from the edge of my vision that trip had ducked his head, giving a small shake. The pack could not have been very accustomed to the sunlight.
After their eyes adjusted, the pack turned almost in unison to face myself and Kurama, Hail speaking for them all.
Speaker, this is the end. Run safe.
"We will." I knelt, offering my hands to wish them farewell. Trip was, of course, the first to accept, followed closely by Snap, Trunk (a blonde male), Bloom (a female of several colors), and Hail last of all. Glancing back at Kurama's hesitant form, I inclined my head at the pack. They all looked up expectantly. The fox sighed, and I couldn't help a small, real smirk of satisfaction when he too descended to accept their parting affections.
Will you come home to Pack again? I took Trip's head in both my hands, gently massaging behind his bat-like ears. His eyes closed in pleasure.
"Yes, of course I will," I assured him, and he gave my chin a happy kiss. "Pack."
Pack, he affirmed, and the sentiment was echoed by the rest. At last (too soon, though I would not admit as much), we left the trees, stepping over the warded rope that contained the Dark Forest. Almost immediately, the heavy, oppressive weight of the palpable shadow vanished. The forest could still be felt, but it hovered at the edge of my senses, taunting, beckoning. I kept my eyes locked on the five wolves still standing there, trying to ignore the longing which accompanied the empty feeling left in the wake of the forest's absence.
I waved, Hail lifting her head in farewell before leading the other four back into the dense enclosure, bushy tails disappearing in the blink of an eye. I half expected my body to chase after them simply out of instinct, ignoring the rational part of my brain that made it very clear that this place was not my home.
"You know, we could have done this anywhere," Kurama told me, breaking the silence only when we had reached the extensive stairs that lead to the temple. We began to ascend, his amused voice prompting me to give him my attention with tired eyes. He continued, giving me a curious, probing look as he did.
"We did not need to make the trip here just to experiment this way. In fact, the dojo would have been more than sufficient. The energy there is plentiful thanks to your constant presence. Why go out of your way to visit a place so… inhospitable to humans?" I did not stop, but I did slow my pace as I thought of how best to answer him.
"As I said before, I enjoy the atmosphere," I admitted. "The fact that it is so inhospitable is part of why I find it so attractive. It is comfortable in a way human environments aren't. To be perfectly honest it almost feels like I belong there, isolated. Or at least, separated from other humans. The demons there are better companions. I like them."
It seems I had stopped walking after all, and I let out a sigh. I didn't intend to divulge so much to the demon, though it was likely he understood at least part of my sentiment.
"I would stay, if I had no other obligations."
I wonder what it was about confessions that made them feel so liberating. Secrets were meant to be kept, and guilty pleasures were exactly that, intended to be held close to ones chest and not revealed at any cost. Yet, it took only a moment for the relief to wash over me in a gentle wave of calm. I met his gaze, which was more assessing that I imagined it would be. Perhaps I was wrong. He was too human now…
Then he gave a smile I could only describe as sympathetic.
"I see." He did, that much was evident. I could not smile in return, though I wanted to, if only to convey my appreciation. No more words were spoken on the subject, though I was the one to break the silence as we continued our ascent. My eyes dropped to his pockets as I did so, quirking a brow.
"I noticed I wasn't the only one to enjoy our field trip," I remarked. "I'm not particularly fond of those leviathan plants, but I did think of you when I first happened upon them. I take it they were to your liking?"
Of course they were. His reaction was even greater than the one he afforded the Misting Agara, and I shudder to think of what use he might put his new tools to.
"It's common name is the Travellers Trap," he said. "It's modern descendents have evolved to have connected, prehensile vines with which to draw prey in manually rather than waiting for an unsuspecting victim. They're much faster as well, though these will still be useful."
"Travellers Trap," I mused, recalling that even my vision could not detect the plants as they lay under the grass. "That's a fitting name. I would have fallen into that trap had it not been for the wolves."
"They seemed quite taken with you," Kurama noted, and I scoffed.
"Apparently it was nothing to do with me at all. It is my energy they are enamoured with." I realized I sounded bitter, an embarrassed flush heating my cheeks. "Of course it matters little. They will obey me, whether they find me personally agreeable or not."
"Don't sell yourself short- you would still be quite charming without your power," he reassured, though the tone suggested he had finally returned to the good-natured teasing that plagued every other conversation I had held with him. I wasn't sure if that made me feel relieved or irritated.
"I'm sure," I replied dryly, the both of us cresting the top of the stairs just moments later.
The temple stood largely unchanged, the gigantic doors left unlocked for us to enter the courtyard. It was strangely silent, though considering the last time I had come through the wooden double doors, it had been crowded with hundreds of hopeful students. In their absence, the stillness was almost eerie, broken only by the faint presence of two sources of power from further within. Both were familiar, yet only one provoked a sense of longing.
It wouldn't do to interrupt him now. I would only be a distraction. Also, judging by the complete lack of awareness presented, he had no idea I was even here. I doubted Genkai would have told him, and even if he somehow managed to pick up on Kurama, he wouldn't be sensing a threat.
"You don't need to be here," I said, more of a caution and a warning than a dismissal. "I understand if you feel unwelcome. She… has that effect on people."
Kurama gave a warm chuckle, moving to stand beside me rather than behind, and I met his sure gaze with what I hoped was concern.
"I'm quite alright. Genkai-San is not the first nettlesome human I've had the pleasure of dealing with." The not-so-subtle, rather pointed look went ignored in favor of turning my back on the vexatious demon and ascending the small flight of stairs to the temple entrance.
There was something of a waiting room beyond the sliding door, and the scenery beyond that hinted at a kitchen. I could smell jasmine tea from even here, though Genkai's energy was still quite a ways away, which lead me to the assumption that she was expecting us. Or at least, expecting me.
"Shall we wait for here there? It seems to be the intended thing," Kurama suggested, and I shrugged.
"It doesn't matter to me. I'm not fond of tea." We passed through the room, stepping around the mats where we might otherwise be kneeling in prayer or discussion, and entered into a kitchen that was roughly half the size of the dojo, which is to say it was rather large for a kitchen. Most especially, it was an odd room to belong to a single woman living in the middle of the forest. It was clear that this was meant to be a communal place, which implied that once, there were many residents.
Where had they all gone?
"Indeed, I noticed you have a predilection for very dark coffee," the demon remarked. Both of us gravitated towards the table, which was set quite delicately with an ancient looking tea set. Steam still poured from the spout, and I would wager that the stove to the left was still hot.
"It's a habit I picked up years ago. I think I might have an addiction at this point. It would be troublesome if it weren't manageable, and with a substance very easy to obtain." Despite my distaste, I poured the two small cups that were there, offering one to the fox who accepted graciously. It would be rude, after all, to refuse Genkai's generosity.
The smell was pleasant, but there was little to no taste. Perhaps my palate had been spoiled by the dark roast I coveted, or else irreparably damaged by how hot my drinks always were. Kurama gave a barely perceptible nod, the beverage apparently meeting with his approval. I hesitated before setting mine down, resolved not to touch it now that I had given my obligatory taste test.
It was silent for a moment, calm in a comfortable way that I was unaccustomed to. Usually, I would find myself floating in a sea of silent tension, just waiting for the storm to hit and the dam to break. Other times, it was the silence that followed emotional drama. I could not remember the last time silence between myself and another was companionable, with exception to once. The lack of sound then was due to Yusuke falling asleep, but the feeling of contentment was still there.
But then, the fox had to break that peace with an airy laugh.
"How long are you going to stand there?"
My breathing hitched, body moving to stand of its own accord when Genkai's rough chuckle answered him from behind me. She was at a distance, a solitary figure standing in the center of the doorway and watching with smug honey eyes. Her thin lips twisted into a self satisfied smirk as I relaxed my position.
"Jumpy, aren't we?" she prompted in a sardonic voice. "Seems like your sensory abilities aren't as sharp as you think."
At that, I once more checked the locations of the energies, casting minute pulses of power which reported back to me the four people at the temple. Kurama directly beside me, Yusuke still a distance away, and Genkai…
"How are you doing that?" I asked, completely in awe of this feat. Even in my research, I had yet to come across any abilities which allowed you to separate your energy from your body, even if only superficially. It was plain to see that what I had been feeling before was indeed Genkai, or something which resembled her. What I could feel from the woman before me was something much like how Kurama's energy felt just before he completed the cloaking technique.
I hurried to activate my vision, eager to observe, but Genkais sharp reprimand stopped me in my tracks. I had forgotten the very visible indication of my power.
"What did I say about doing that?" she snapped, and I hastily reversed the process, though not before catching a glimpse of her turquoise pathways still burning brightly. She frowned, scoffing lightly. "Well now, isn't that a change."
I tilted my head, curious even in my embarrassment after being caught out.
"What do you mean?" She ignored my question, eyes flashing briefly towards Kurama, who was still seated at the table to my back.
"Just how long do you intend to stay? This is a temple, it's not open to tourists." I looked back to find the fox giving her a cheery smile, gesturing delicately with his teacup in hand.
"Still, I thank you for opening your doors to me. Not many human psychics would. As for the duration of my visit, I planned to leave when my parole officer does." His simpering look did not diminish, even as she sneered.
"Well I hope you're up for a long wait alone. My training has no room for observers, and I'm already taking on more than I bargained for." At this, she aimed a pointed glare at me, which I took with a blank face. I could not express remorse for a decision I still believed was the best.
"I'm sure I can keep myself entertained," was Kurama's pleasant response. My lips twitched as a thought came to me, and I watched Genkai surreptitiously for her reaction.
"If he could find your personal arcade, I'm certain he could waste away hours on the games." She did not disappoint, expression just short of volcanic for a brief moment. It settled into a more muted rage.
"Try it and the girl will have to find a new demon to fill her quota." I could think of a few, though Kurama was preferable to them all. But this was going nowhere. The banter, while amusing, could only grow more perilous from here. It was only a matter of time before her irritability and Kurama's unshakable passive aggression resulted in war.
"May we begin, Sensei?" I asked politely, more sure about using her title now that it was to be more official. She gave a huff, turning to leave but pausing for a moment.
"We'll be using the back courtyard. Find me when you've done something about your hands. What you'll need is in the cabinet under the sink." She walked away, steps completely inaudible as she disappeared from view. I raised said appendages for inspection, finding the backs of them riddled with deep, gouging claw marks from the wolves' aggressive affection. My knuckles were raw and red, though they had stopped bleeding long ago, and the skin of my fingers was lined with fleshy pink. The animals had licked them clean in apology, and my hands were now comfortably numb, if not rather ugly.
"Ah," I voiced, blinking down at the injuries. "I'd forgotten."
"Of course you did," Kurama sighed, rising steadily and making his way to the area the old woman had indicated. He knelt, then stood again with a clay jar in one hand, a roll of white bandages in the other.
"Sit. It would be easier if I did it." His voice left no room for arguments, not that I would have any to offer. I retook my set dutifully, the demon sitting across from me with a look of concentration. He took my hands, gently applying a bitter-smelling salve from the jar before wrapping the knuckles tightly. The right hand was complete, and he moved on without a pause, taking the other in a careful grip.
"I don't need an escort," I said after a while of his repeating the process on my left hand, and he glanced up briefly. "I'm more than capable of getting home by myself."
He gave a conceding nod, fingers ghosting across the back of my hand as he mapped out the next area he would wrap. From my fingertips to my wrists were completely concealed on the finished hand, the bandages wrapped in such a strange way that they afforded both full coverage and full range of motion. They were tight enough that they would stay in place during any strenuous activity, but not so tight my circulation was in danger. It may have been something small, but I did spend quite a while admiring his handiwork.
"I'm aware. However, it would be extremely improper of me to allow a young girl to make such a long journey alone. In any case, I have been under the impression you enjoy my company." His eyes regained the shrewd glint once more, hiding behind that polite innocence he wore so well. "Was I wrong?"
Such a simple question. He always did appear so very straightforward on a surface level. His questions, odd remarks, even his suggestions seemed guileless to the unaware. Even knowing his true nature, it was such an easy feat for him to lead me down a rabbit hole of thoughts I did not want to have. Manipulation was a game I thought I could play in my sleep, and I could… unless Kurama was my opponent.
At times, he seemed to know everything. It comes with age, I imagine, though experience undoubtedly had a large part to play. He was a kitsune, and if legends were to be believed, he was not one to be trusted. I should not afford him any freedoms. I should not allow him to be so carelessly informal. I should not reward his badgering with charity and consideration.
I should most certainly not enjoy his company. And yet.
"You're not wrong." I flexed both my hands, his job now complete. "Even if all you do is harass me."
I stood, leaving the room with a small, self-satisfied, real smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.
Now aware of what I was looking for, I adjusted my spirit pulses to pick up the weaker energy Genkai was putting out before, but it seemed she had reabsorbed her power. There was only one signature, and I found it waiting for me in the courtyard near where my bedroom had been on my last visit.
The old woman sat cross-legged in the grass, her eyes sliding open when I arrived. I stood at the top of the steps, looking down at the pristine training ground, which I imagined would soon bear the scars of my labor. Approaching further would be akin to jumping off my balcony into a barrel of water. Obviously I could do it, but there was a certain amount of risk involved. Nothing was set in stone. Genkai may easily decide I was unteachable, or we could simply be incompatible as master and student. There were any number of possible unfavorable outcomes. It wasn't often I did something with such a risk of the reward simply being unattainable.
"Well now." Genkai got to her feet, her diminutive stature not matching the magnitude of her power. "Let's get started."
I nodded.
My spirit energy was nearly nonexistent.
I was quietly thankful for Kurama's company on the journey home If even so much as a kamaitachi had approached me with the intent to harm, I would have been incapable of defending myself. Training with Yusuke was painful. Training with Kurama left my limbs weak. Training with Genkai… was stressful.
I did not envy Yusuke anymore, at all. Whatever she was putting him through to be her successor must have been several times worse than what she called "a little warm up." For someone her age, she was surprisingly spritely, nimbly avoiding the encouraged attacks I threw at her, and outright laughing in my face when she-
I groaned, massaging my temples. I would not be thinking about that again today.
Once home, I debated cooking something for myself, since I could smell that dinner had already come and gone. In the end, cup ramen was the regrettable choice I made, my legs completely unwilling to stand at the stove for any length of time. Mami joined me as I waited on the microwave to finish "cooking" my "meal". She hopped gracefully onto the counter, rubbing against my face with a purr of greeting.
Immediately, I pushed her away, absolutely shocked by her action.
"Get down," I ordered, staring wide-eyed at her as she gave me a reproachful look in return. "Since when, exactly, have you been allowed up here?"
She sniffed, said: The tall one lets me, in a very sulky tone, her intention likely to guilt trip me. I frowned, narrowing my eyes in the direction of my brothers sunny aura.
"He doesn't have the authority here, I do. It's unsanitary." She glared at me for a moment before dropping down, her body thumping just a touch more loudly than she should.
You smell like dog, she accused bitterly. Your hair stinks of drool and death. Pouting with her tail stuck haughtily in the air, she left the room. Almost as soon as she came, she was gone, leaving me alone once more. I sighed, leaning against the counter once again to contemplate my apology, should I decide she deserved one.
Today did not appear to be my day.
After my dinner of questionable nutritional value, I made certain that both my siblings were quite absorbed in whatever tasks kept them occupied in their rooms before indulging in a very long, very hot shower. The grime (and apparently drool and death) of the forest sullied the water that ran over pale skin, leaving streaks over my body until my hands smoothed over the collected filth. The floral scents of the off-brand soap permeated the steam, collecting in sweet-smelling droplets on every surface. The water hitting my neck with a consistent sharp pressure eased the strain the old woman had put on my brain stem.
The scalding heat was likely dying my body to match the color of my hair, but it was like a fine-bristled comb moving through the stringy strands, the painful heat keeping me awake long enough to complete my wash after a sufficient amount of time simply standing there. Upon completion of this immersion in cleanliness, I wiped the condensation from the mirror to inspect any damage received that I may have to cover up.
Unsurprisingly, the bandages Kurama applied did not survive the volcanic shower, however it was possible to use my pen now without sacrificing my own energy needlessly. A quick application of the proper runes onto my pinkened skin (not quite the same shade as my hair) and they began to close immediately, though slowly. With that out of the way, I felt it safe to dress for sleep without fear of getting blood on the sleeves. I then turned my attention upward, to my face.
My hair stuck to my skin, plastered like a curtain of blood against my cheeks, ears, and even my shoulders. It barely touched, but it was long enough that I could feel the unfamiliar, uncomfortable prickle. It was strange, but I had forgotten for so long to maintain the chin-length that I had worn for three years. The time had passed me before I could begin to see, or else I was far too distracted by spirit shennanigans to notice the glaring vulnerability.
I peered into the left-side top drawer, Shizuru's personal products which should include a pair of trimming scissors. It was an easy enough task. I had gotten quite good at cutting my own hair, despite numerous botched attempts my first few months. Thankfully, Asako was quite handy with scissors, and was more than happy to assist me in place of my sister.
I pawed through the drawers contents with a frown, searching for the telltale glint of the scissors blades, when the door burst open and the air pressure changed dramatically. Cold air swept through the steam, which parted like an undulating octopus and opened my still red skin up to the shock of biting cold that was the normal room temperature. I bit back a hiss, staring incredulously at the boy standing in the doorway, a crumpled magazine clutched in one large hand.
"Ru-Ru! Guess what I found!"
I raised a brow in a scolding manner.
"You're lucky I was dressed," I told my brother calmly. He blinked, then reeled back as though just now realizing the embarrassment he had narrowly avoided.
"Gah! Sorry Sis, I wasn't thinkin'," and he looked away with flushed cheeks. I frowned.
"You're already here, what do you want?" I asked impatiently, and he glanced back. The eager light in his gaze, though hesitant, banished any ill feelings I may have had on the matter. He was excited, that was all. It wasn't like we hadn't seen each other naked before anyhow. Being so close in age, it had been normal for us to have baths together as toddlers. Even as we aged, that sort of propriety had never really taken priority. It was easy enough to forgive, and to focus on the crinkled paper he was brandishing in my face with enthusiasm.
"Look at what I found! I was going through a bunch of stuff in the toy box- you know, the one we put in the closet? Anyways, I found a bunch of these! I totally forgot I used to collect them!" I took the magazine, pulling it to a slightly more readable state ("Cripes, I crumpled it up!") and examined the cover.
It was a fashion tabloid, the name Olive in large, looping pink script triggering the faintest of recollections. The magazine cover showed two girls in the fashion of the previous decade, the colors garish and mismatched yet somehow not looking completely like a toddlers first art project.
"There's a whole bunch of them, Fruits, Vogue, Dolly- 'course they're all kinda old styles…"
Turning the pages made it very clear to me (and made me remember them fully) why he had been collecting them. Every few pages, a woman's head would be circled in blue crayon. Dark notes in neat handwriting was penned in every now and then as well under certain models, notes pertaining to the hairstyles. The writing was Shizuru's, and it took only a moment for me to guess that the blue crayon markings were not, in fact, my sister's doing.
Especially considering nearly everything circled was some sort of braid, or had the knots incorporated into the design.
"I just figured since you were growing your hair out again, I'd start braiding it like when we were little. You remember?" I tore my eyes away from the gaudy expression on a model's face, staring up pensively at my brother's earnest expression.
"I remember," I replied plainly, and his eyes lit up in realization.
"I can try now, maybe get some practice in before I do anything super complicated. Oh! I didn't even show you the best one- hold on, I'll get it!" With that, his gargantuan frame flashed with incredible speed to the next room over, leaving me standing in the now cold bathroom with one hand still in the drawer, the other holding the magazine limply.
The fogged up mirror was beginning to clear, the cold overtaking the water droplets and pulling them closer together into larger spots on the glass. They slid down, leaving streaks which I would have to wipe away later. The wet spots on the back of my neck were beginning to chill uncomfortably the longer I stood there, unmoving, listening as Kazuma rummaged loudly in the closet. The room was terribly cluttered, and if I remembered correctly, the toybox had been one of the first things to be put away, all the way in the back behind old furniture and boxes of clothes that our father still refused to get rid of.
He must have spent all day digging through the mess just to have access to the contents of the chest. I distinctly recall helping load up several action figures, power rangers and superheroes and the like, as well as the childrens books he had outgrown. The blue ranger was at the top of the trove when we buried the treasure in the darkness forever. The magazines must have been at the very bottom of the crate, underneath every other important childhood memory he possessed in that tiny brain of his…
I looked down at the sink. Just a foot away from my hand, nestled safely in the jewelry display box, was the necklace I had only just removed, unwilling for the water to damage the chain. The abhorrent white cat smiled at me from behind the glass, sweet and happy in a childish way that was now wholly unfamiliar to me. Yet even the sight of that abomination which dared to call itself jewelry gave off a warmth that could not be dispelled by the sudden cold of the open door.
I smiled, and it was real, and I closed the drawer.
…
For Kurama's part, his weekend excursion with Hotaru had been nothing short of wonderful. With weighty secrets revealed by both parties, tensions resolved, and misunderstandings rectified, there was nothing that could have ruined his mood. Even his mother noticed, a knowing gleam in her dark eyes as she probed him for answers. Naturally, the moment Hotaru's name came up, the woman smiled.
If nothing else, he had to hold on to the girl for that.
The danger he could sense pouring from her essence had, of course, left him incredibly wary. The allure too, though it also beckoned him. The gifts, the kindness, the charity she showed him with little to no prompting, all indicated the manipulative personality that she made no attempt to obscure. She was not a nice person, nor did she pretend to be. If that were the case, however, then it should be quite impossible for any act of kindness from her to be genuine.
The operative word there is should. For all the knowledge and experience he claimed, he had not once met a human quite like Hotaru. True, she may not be entirely human. He had his suspicions from the start, but it seemed best to let her figure it out on her own. She did seem the type not to believe anything she could not herself first prove, and he would let her, offer guidance if it was necessary. And…
He would pray that she was not what he suspected.
… But circling back around to his point, someone as disingenuine and cold as she is should not be capable of authentic graciousness. When everything she has done thus far to give him an ounce of trust, and every act of benevolence has been for her gain, he must suspect every hint of altruism to have some unseen motive.
Until that day.
There was no real reason to bring him to the forest. He had already sworn to teach her what he knew, and it was never his goal to betray her. This was, of course, due to a number of factors, the foremost being the pull of her power. Yet even without the allure afforded by her energy, there were several reasons to maintain his alliance. He realized very early on that he had quickly grown fond of the girl. She was very demonic, and in a way that made him feel less alone in the human world. Her cold pragmatism and disregard for the common man reminded him strongly of his days thieving with his bandits. She would have been an incredible asset to him back then.
This was the reason he found her useful, as she did him, but it ran further than that. Her open display of vulnerability, while a ploy to gain his sympathy, was still a baring of her soul to him. She had still displayed her greatest weakness, evening the playing field in order to gain the upper hand. He could see the compassion she felt for her brother, and it was real.
More than that, he could see the longing she hid so well when she spoke of Yusuke. It hadn't been there when they first met, not entirely at least. Now her affection was just as powerful, and just as obvious as it was for her brother. He wondered briefly if the affection was romantic in nature, but dismissed the idea immediately. It simply wasn't, that much was clear.
She had likely begun her association with him the same way she had with the fox himself. It had initially been for gain, an answer to her three questions that fit the requirements just as Kurama had. Then it had blossomed into feelings she could not ignore any longer, a flowering garden of emotions that continued to grow and change, becoming brighter and more lively the more she fed them.
Now, she had taken that first step with the fox. A gift, unwarranted, unasked for, without agenda. Simply, she had been thoughtful without meaning to be. She had shared something with him, something that was clearly deeply personal, something she didn't quite understand herself, and had asked for nothing more than what she was already owed anyways.
This was decidedly not a demonic trait. This was humanity, raw and uncensored. It was his hope that he too might be included among those that shared the limited space in her heart. It was a foolish desire, one he blamed entirely on the effects of her aura. But knowing this and applying it to his reasoning were entirely different beasts. He only knew that the moment she viewed him as not only useful, but indispensable…
He will have won. So long as she found a way to accept his friendship for what it was, there was no force in this world or any other that could tempt her to use that power against him, or his mother. Joining the ranks of her beloved would grant him immunity from even the highest authority once she came into her power. It certainly helped that he truly did like her. It would make slinking his way into her heart that much easier.
He knew his goal from their first interrogation. Taking the blade for Yusuke was only the first step. After all, he owed the boy that much, and more. A minor hole through his stomach was a small price to pay for her look of gratitude. If that wouldn't stop him, nothing would. Nothing could. He would not let anything or anyone stand in the way of his objectives. He was, to coin a phrase, playing the long game to win a prize.
So naturally, when he came across this conundrum on the Monday returning to school, he knew immediately that it would cause problems. It already was causing problems, those which left ripples running throughout the entire student body. The problem had seemingly reared it's admittedly attractive head from nowhere, and was not going to disappear anytime soon without intervention.
Of course, he did not want Hotaru involved, should she fall into the trap, but by Wednesday, he finally had to admit defeat. Offering a greeting to his mother, who waved with soapy hands from the kitchen sink, Kurama made a beeline for the phone. Nimble fingers tapped out a number he had memorized the first day he was given it, and upon the second ring, the line was connected.
It was the elder sister.
"Moshi moshi," the deep, feminine voice intoned with mild curiosity. The timbre and monotone quality made it apparent that Hotaru's unique way of speaking was somehow genetic.
"Hello, Kuwabara-San. My name is Minamino Shuichi," he greeted with an audible smile. There was a pause.
"You're the kid's friend, right?" He blinked, shifting position slightly to lean against the wall.
"I… yes, I suppose if you mean Hotaru-Chan," he replied with a nervous laugh, his face remaining blank. Over the line there was a quiet, deep breath, then the woman exhaled very deliberately. She was smoking. Odd that Hotaru never carried the scent.
"Yeah, that's the one." It sounded like a joke, so he gave a polite chuckle. "How's your mother, Minamino?"
This time, he was the one to pause, contemplating her rather rude disregard of the honorific. Hotaru was such a stickler about proper manners. The sister must have taken that as a sign that he was surprised, however, offering a monotone reassurance.
"My kid sister's only got two friends, and last I checked, Urameshi's ma was just sleeping off a hangover, not comatose." She took another drag of her cigarette, then gave a dry laugh. "Besides, she told me about your situation, even dropped your name once. It doesn't take a genius to connect a few dots. So, how is she?"
The corners of Kurama's mouth twitched, his reaction to what was most definitely the sister of Hotaru entirely genuine.
"She's doing quite well, actually. Hotaru has been by to visit quite a few times. Mother is quite fond of her- keeps telling me I ought to invite her over more often." Though his voice was pleasant, he was quickly growing tired of this small-talk. The woman was interesting enough, but he could conduct an interrogation of her at another time. "I was hoping to speak with your sister actually, is she home?"
The eldest Kuwabara sibling took her time answering, and he clenched his jaw, mostly dignified in his irritation.
"Yeah, she's here." The woman let out yet another dry, monosyllable laugh. "Guess I'll interrogate you another time, eh?"
He was taken aback, but before he could question her, her voice came again, sounding distant as though she had moved the phone away from her mouth.
"She's on her way," the woman said at normal volume after a moment, and Kurama could only offer the sound of a grateful smile.
"Thank you, Kuwabara-San."
The conversation was cut awkwardly, neither party speaking another word. Kurama waited at the end of the hallway, half in darkness and half in the afternoon light. Dust particles in the air moved with more vigor than Hotaru apparently was, or else the sister's demeanor simply made it seem like the seconds that ticked by were actually hours.
"You know, my sister's got a lot going on." That peaked his interest, and he continued to listen quietly. "She tell you anything about our mom?"
Kurama hesitated for an appropriate amount of time before responding.
"There have been hints. Mentions here and there, but never the outright story." The woman on the line hummed in thought, taking another deep breath through her cigarette.
"Well…" she went silent, and the fox found himself leaning in as though he might prompt her to continue. "Glad she's got someone she can talk to."
Clearly, she had said all she was going to say, because moments later she gave a quiet mumble, and there was a rustling on the line. Hotaru's voice came next, crisp, clear, a much higher monotone than her sister's.
"Shuichi-Kun." Finally.
"Hotaru. Are you alone?" There was a brief pause. He imagined her glancing up at her sister with that blank expression she always wore, quickly thinking of a way to leave and not arouse suspicion.
"Hold on, let me check." He waited, listening to the white noise that was disturbed only by the faint sound of her breathing, and the gentle footfalls as she likely crossed out of the kitchen, where he knew for certain the phone in her home was located, into the hallway, up the steep flight of stairs with faded tan carpeting covering each step, to the second floor, turned right, passed the elder sisters room, and moved through the door into her own impeccably neat bedroom.
"What is it?"
He took a breath.
"I'm afraid we have a problem… at my school."
The suspense is what I live for. I'm not sorry.
So just as a quick note, the phone convo with Shizuru was totally unplanned. It just worked out that way, and I absolutely loved it. I remembered as I was having Kurama make the call that Hotaru would not be the primary person to answer the phone, and since the father is pretty inconsequential at this time, Shizuru got the lucky spot.
Also, Kurama's little monologue was spur of the moment, totally on the fly. I just kept going with it because it felt right. Also also, original drafts gave him half a chapter of inner dialogue, which I ultimately cut because it really didn't matter much. This, however... this shit matters! Oh, and I totally made him seem way creepier than he is. He knows the exact layout of her house, because of course he does! He's Kurama! We saw him creeping on Yusuke in OG YYH in one of the early episodes, so this isn't that much of a stretch.
I really love their dynamic. I'm super sad to see Yusuke leaving for so long, but I also really needed this development between my two manipulators. They're so similar, yet so different. Kurama's way more perceptive than she is, and he seems to know somethings he isn't telling her, huh? Hmmm...
Meow for now!