Three words intertwin
Here is the third chapter of the story.
Chapter two: From the chaos a home is found
Morning came over the temple as sunlight shone through the window of Nariko's room. The gentle rays of the sun streamed down upon the she-wolf's face, which caused her to groan out in annoyance. She turned over in hopes of getting more sleep, but quickly snapped awake when she sensed the same aura from yesterday standing near the side of her bed. Nariko instantly became alert as she shot up to glare at the presence, but like before it had disappeared before she could see it.
Nariko frowned in annoyance before muttering to herself: "This phantom sure likes to toy around with people."
She then let out a yawn before turning to look towards the open window to see that it was morning. Nariko smiled when her sharp hearing caught the sound of birds chirping their morning song. Yet her smile slowly vanished as she remembered what she needed to do today.
"It's time," voiced Nariko quietly to herself. "I need to leave or else I'll only bring trouble to this family."
With that, Nariko began to fold up the blanket and futon before placing them in the bedroom closet. She then changed into the new clothes that had been offered to her last night. The clothing was a simple grey shirt with the sleeves stopping just above her elbows and blue jeans. Nariko quietly opened the door to the guest room and walked out into the hallway. The young she-wolf made sure to keep her steps silent as she slowly walked down the stairs to the main floor. Once she got down the last step, Nariko began to make her way towards the front door. She was just walking past the open door of the living room before freezing when a male voice suddenly spoke.
"You're up early."
Nariko turned to look into the living room and saw Shigure, wearing the same clothes he had worn yesterday, sitting at the table with a cup of tea in his hands.
"M-Mr. Shigure," spoke Nariko in surprise. "I...I was just going outside to get some fresh air."
"It looked to me like you were sneaking out somewhere," said Shigure with a knowing expression upon his face. "You mind telling me just where you're going young wolf?"
Nariko stared at Shigure for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh: "It's...kind of hard to explain."
Shigure gestured for Nariko to take a seat at the table. The young she-wolf walked into the room and sat down on the floor on the other side of the table. Shigure set his cup down on the surface of the table before Nariko started to speak to him.
"The reason I wanted to leave your household so early was because...I don't want to put you and your family in danger."
"And what kind of danger would that be, young wolf?" questioned Shigure in a gentle yet firm voice.
"Well...even though I escaped from the facility, the people who had captured me are still searching for me. It's only a matter of time before they stumble upon your temple. If or when they do, they'll stop at nothing to bring me back to the facility."
"So you believe those people might try to harm my family if you remain here for too long?"
"I'm not sure, but I don't want to take the chance if they do. That's why I need to leave and hopefully lead them away from this temple."
The two sat in silence for a moment as Nariko stared up at Shigure with determination shining in her eyes. Shigure gazed at the young she-wolf with a stoic expression for a moment before a smile appeared on his face.
"You're just like him," spoke Shigure in a gentle voice.
Nariko blinked as she stared at the priest in confusion: "Huh, who?"
"My son, Ushio," replied Shigure with a chuckle. "You remind me of how he would think of others safety before his own. He would do anything to protect those that weren't able to defend themselves or to help those who were hurting. Hell, he'd even go out of his way to help others that were strangers or who hate him for no reason. I'm guessing he got that trait from his mother and his stubborn attitude from me."
Nariko eyes widened slightly at what Shigure said before a sad smile appeared on her face: "I guess we do have a few similarities to each other."
"Though unlike Ushio, you seem to think things through before you act upon them," added Shigure as his smiled turned into a frown.
Nariko looked at Shigure in befuddlement for a moment before she burst out laughing as she understood what he meant. She remembered yesterday how Ushio had let his temper get the better of him, and caused him to crash face first into the wall of the temple gate. The young she-wolf soon calmed down before a light frown appeared on her face and she spoke again.
"But...I get the feeling that Ushio doesn't back down or run from a fight, right?"
"Unfortunately you're right about that," grumbled Shigure with an exasperated expression upon his face.
"Then that's where the similarities end," spoke Nariko in a gentle voice. "When it comes down to fighting, I only fight when I feel threatened or I'm backed into a corner. In the beginning, I never really liked to fight or get into conflicts with anyone, but..."
"But that changed after those people kidnapped you and locked you up within their facility," finished Shigure with a sad frown.
Nariko nodded her head before she spoke again: "Like I told you, your family and Asako. I grew violent towards the scientists, and would lash out at them whenever they try to pull me out of the cell to do more tests on me."
"I see," mused Shigure as he closed his eyes in thought.
The two sat in silence as Nariko let Shigure process on what she had said before the she-wolf spoke once again.
"Mr. Shigure...I'm grateful for the hospitality that you and your family had shown me, but I need to leave so that I don't put you all in danger."
Shigure sat unmoving for a moment before he finally spoke. But what he said caused Nariko to look at him in confusion.
"I'm afraid that you leaving our home won't be possible."
Nariko frowned at the priest for a moment before her sharp hearing caught the sound of feet coming towards the house. The fur on the back of Nariko's neck and tail began to stand up as her instincts screamed out that danger was near. The young she-wolf was about to stand up and bolt before Shigure raised a hand up to stop her. He then stood up from the floor and began to head towards the front door, but paused to look back at Nariko.
"Stay here," said Shigure in a gentle yet firm voice. "And whatever happens, don't move from that spot unless absolutely necessary."
Nariko stared up at Shigure in confusion before watching him leave the living room. The young she-wolf sat at the table with her body tense and ready to bolt at any moment. As she sat within the living room, the same presence that she had sensed back in the guest bedroom reappeared again. Nariko decided to ignore the phantom for the moment and focused more on the danger that was at the front door of the house. Her ears twitched when she heard the door being open. Nariko then began to hear Shigure talking to the people that stood outside the front door.
"Welcome," greeted Shigure in a calm voice. "What can I do for you gentlemen on this fine day."
"We're not here for pleasantries old man," spoke one of the men at the door. "So step aside and let us in already."
Nariko tensed at the man's words and was about to stand up, but quickly stopped herself from doing so.
'Stay calm,' thought Nariko quietly to herself. 'Don't bolt out of the house just yet.'
"Well, aren't you rude," stated Shigure in a voice that had a hard edge to it. "You should be more respectful when when it comes to talking to your elders young man."
"Whatever," spoke the first man sharply. "Listen, we're here to take back the beastman that you have hidden in your house."
"Then I'm afraid that you've made a mistake. There are no beastmen residing in this temple, and even if there was then you should know that this temple is a place where people can come to seek enlightenment and refuge. Meaning that they are protected here from those who seek to harm them."
Nariko relaxed slightly when she heard what Shigure had said, but still kept her senses on high alert. Nariko continued to listen to the conversation, and couldn't help but growl quietly at what the man at the door said next.
"Don't be stupid old man. Beastmen are nothing but freaks of nature that need to be shown their place. They don't think like humans and they'll attack any human without a second thought."
Nariko's lips pulled back as she bared her teeth in anger at the man's words. She hated how people always looked down on beastmen and call them mindless beasts. Nariko knew that there were some beastmen who are more compassionate than humans were, because a beastman had once saved her life a long time ago when she had only been eight years old. If that beastman hadn't saved Nariko back then, she wouldn't have met Michiru and became friends with her.
Nariko almost lost herself in thought before her danger senses suddenly kicked in. The young she-wolf quickly turned to look behind her just when the sound of a gun clicking resounded through the air. Nariko growled loudly when she saw a man wearing a black suit and sunglasses pointing a gun at her. He stood outside the open doors that lead out into the backyard with a smirk displayed upon his face.
"Found you, ya freak," spoke the man in a cocky voice.
Nariko responded by baring her teeth at the man, while tensing her body up to bolt out of the living room. The man seemed to read her thoughts as he got ready to pull the trigger on the gun.
"Don't even think about it," warned the man. "We've got this whole temple surrounded so you wouldn't try to escape. And if you even do go through with it...well, let's just say that the occupants of this house will wind up paying the price for harboring you"
Nariko froze at what the man had said and glared at him. Anger slowly rose up inside Nariko's chest along with guilt that gnawed at her heart. The man smirked and began to pull the trigger on the gun.
"Time to put you to sleep freak," said the man with a chuckle.
Nariko sat frozen and waited for the man to shoot her, but what happened next surprised both her and the man. Just as he was pulling the trigger, the gun within the man's hand was suddenly sliced into two.
"What the hell!" shouted the man in surprise.
Nariko was startled by what had happened, but quickly got her act together and shot towards the man with a snarl. The man was unprepared by Nariko's suddenly frontal attack as the she-wolf delivered a right hook to his face. Her punch sent the man flying away from the entrance to the living room and into the temple's wall. Nariko landed in the backyard as she glared at the man she had punched before her sharp hearing caught the sound of collective gasps. She quickly turned her gaze towards the ten black suited men who stood at the front door of the Aotsuki household. Nariko let out a defiant snarl of anger at them as the man in front of the group got ready to pull out a gun. But before he could grab it, Shigure punched him right in the face.
One of the men turned to glare at Shigure in anger: "You damn bastard!"
Shigure returned the glared with his own as he got into a fighting stance: "As I said before: This place is a refuge for those who seek safety and protection. So I will not allow you and your men to harm Nariko."
The man that shouted at Shigure didn't take kindly to his words. He then signaled for the rest of the men to attack Shigure. They were about to do so when Nariko dashed forward and shoulder checked one of them away from Shigure. The young she-wolf landed in front of the group as she glared angrily at the men in black suits.
"Back off!" growled Nariko in a fierce voice.
One of the men quickly pulled out a radio from his pocket and got ready to shout into it. But it was quickly shot out of his hands by a bolt of electricity. The man looked at his empty hand in shock before glancing at Nariko, who had her left hand held out in front of her with blue electricity crackling around her claws. The she-wolf's eyes held a dangerous expression within their depths as she glared at the man in fury.
"You bitch!" exclaimed the man angrily.
Nariko only growled at the man as Shigure came to stand beside her before falling into a fighting stance once again. Nariko copied him as the two of them pressed their backs together, while they faced the men who surrounded them.
"Well...this isn't a day I was hoping to wake up to," muttered Shigure with a smirk upon his face.
"You're telling me," voiced Nariko as she glared at the men that surround them. "Are you going to be okay?"
"Don't you worry about me," reassured Shigure with a chuckle. "I maybe getting on in years, but I can still kick these whipper-snappers' asses."
Nariko smiled at Shigure's words before the two of them started to fight together against the men that encircled them. Nariko made sure to hold back on how much force she put in her punches, even though she was tempted to crack a few skulls of the people that have been hunting her. The sound of their fighting caused more men in black suits to come rushing into the temple grounds. There were at least ninety of the men, but Nariko was not intimated and only continued to fight them without faltering in her movements or strikes. Shigure was fighting against six men that tried to surround him, but they were not able to over power him. Unfortunately, Shigure wasn't paying attention as another man snuck up behind him and was about to hit the priest in the back of the head. But just as he was about to hit Shigure, the man in the black suit was suddenly kicked from the side. The one who had kicked the man was none other than Ushio, who had woken up when he heard the commotion. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and black shorts, while his feet were bare of any footwear.
"About time you showed up!" exclaimed Shigure as he punched another one of men.
"Shut up old man!" shouted Ushio as he shoved his right elbow into a man that was trying to sneak up behind him. "Just what the heck is going on here anyways?"
"Explanations later!" yelled Shigure as kicked the next man in the face. "All you need to know is that they're after Nariko!"
Ushio's eyes widened in surprise before they narrowed in anger. He then started attacking the black suited men in a flurry of punches and kicks. The trio fought together as they knocked down the men that tried to surround them. The fight continued for about a few more minutes before a cry of pain was heard. That cry caused Nariko, Shigure and Ushio to pause in their fight as they turned to look at the front door of the house. Their eyes widened in fear and anger when they saw Sumako being held captive by one of the men, who had pulled her hands roughly behind her back. Sumako (who was wearing a lavender blue night gown) had followed her son outside when she had also heard the commotion, and had been watching the fight from the sidelines. She had been so distracted by the fight that she hadn't been aware of the man sneaking up behind her.
"Sumako/Mom!" shouted both Ushio and Shigure.
"Don't move!" ordered the man who was holding Sumako captive. "Or else she'll get it!"
Ushio and Shigure froze as they glared at the man that held Sumako captive. Nariko also froze as she stared wide eyed in fear at what was being playing out before her. She then let out a gasp when she felt something slip over her upper body and pin her arms to her side. She looked down in surprise when she saw three glowing green loop cords cinched tightly around her. Nariko then let out a grunt when electricity from the loops started to shock her, but the young she-wolf barely felt the pain and only shrugged it off. Nariko then looked behind her to glare at the three men who held the poles the loops were attached to. They stared at her in slight surprise, but kept a firm grip on their poles.
Ushio heard the she-wolf's grunt and turned to look at her in concern: "Nariko!"
Nariko turned towards Ushio before shouting back at him: "I'm alright!"
Ushio was about to say something when he was suddenly grabbed by two men. Shigure was also grabbed, but he remained calm and only glared at the two men that held him.
"Now that's more like it," spoke the man holding Sumako before shouting out orders. "Now, load the she-wolf and these three civilians into the truck! We'll take them back to the facility with us! We can't have them running off and telling everyone about the wolf-girl!"
Nariko's blood froze at what the man had said before she shouted: "No, don't! Let them go, please! It's me that you want!"
"Shut up, you freak!" shouted one of the men that held her captive.
Nariko let out another grunt of surprise when she was once again zapped by electricity. Ushio struggled against his two captors before he shouted out at the men that captured Nariko.
"Stop it!"
Ushio's captives tightened their hold on him before one of them yelled at him: "Be quiet!"
Ushio grunted in pain when one of his captors hit him in the back of the head. The man who held Sumako turned to glare at Ushio with a smirk upon his face before he spoke.
"I suggest that you don't try and fight us kid. Otherwise you might wind up risking the lives of your parents."
The man, who was obviously the leader, then turned his attention on Nariko who was glaring at him in anger.
"I also suggest that you don't try anything funny either!" shouted the leader in a strong voice.
Nariko growled at him in response, but obeyed his warning as she stood completely still. Shigure turned to glare at the leader before speaking in a hard edged voice.
"Just what do you plan to do with us?"
The leader turned to look at Shigure with a smirk before answering: "We'll be taking you back to the facility where you and your family will be detained for a while. We don't know how much this freak has told you, but we can't risk you telling everyone about how she had been turned into a beastman."
The three Aotsuki family members' eyes widened in shock at what the man had just said. Ushio was the first one to speak after a moment of silence as his expression held a look of confusion.
"What do you mean she had been turned into a beastman?"
The leader's eyebrows raised slightly before he spoke: "Oh? You mean she hasn't told you about that little secret? If so then I guess the cat is out of the bag, but luckily you all won't have to worry about that. After all, you and your family will be held within the facility until we find a way to deal with you."
Nariko felt anger rise up inside of her as she glared at the leader. She was angry at both the men in black suits for hurting the Aotsuki family, and at herself for causing this family trouble. Nariko bared her fangs as she tightly clenched her jaw, while tightly squeezing her eyes shut in frustration.
'I need to think of something!' exclaimed Nariko inside her head. 'I can't let this family suffer like I did!'
Nariko's eyes shot open when she heard the leader of the group yell out in pain and surprise. She quickly looked up and saw the leader holding his nose, while Sumako glared at him in defiance. While the leader had been distracted, Sumako had taken the chance to hit the back of her head into her captor's nose. The leader collected himself before he shoved Sumako to the ground, while yelling out in anger.
"You cheeky bitch!"
Sumako grunted when she landed hard on the dirt covered ground. The leader then pulled out a gun from inside his black jacket and pointed it at the woman. Sumako sat upon the ground and glared up at the leader with no hint of fear within her eyes.
"Looks like you're going to be just as much trouble as your son and husband," spoke the leader with a frown. "If that's the case, then I'd better put you to sleep so you won't cause us any problems later on."
Nariko's anger grew more intense when she saw the leader of the men pointing his gun at Sumako. Electricity started to crackle around Nariko's hands and she began to growl loudly. The men who held her tried to electrocute her again, but like the last few times she didn't feel any pain. Nariko's bangs hid her eyes as a strong killing intent began to rise up from her body. Her killing intent was quickly felt by the men and the three Aotsuki family members.
"You monsters," spoke Nariko in a voice that held a cold edge to it. "All you ever think about is hurting innocent people to get what you want. You don't care about anyone that will stand in your way when it comes to recapturing me again. You and the people back at the facility all make me sick."
Nariko then raised her head up to glare at the leader. When she did, everyone was surprised at the sight of the she-wolf's eyes. The pupils that had been normal a minute ago had become slits, while the eyes had changed from a silver grey to a lambent icy blue. The men began to grow nervous, while Ushio and his parents only stared at Nariko in surprise. Ushio had his fair share of fighting demons and seeing how angry they can get when provoked. But it had been a long time since he'd seen slitted eyes like the ones Nariko had right now.
"You want to take me back to the facility and continue your sick experiments on me? Well that's just fine," spoke Nariko as her voice started to grow louder. "But as for the Aotsuki family..."-The electricity that sparked from Nariko's hands slowly traveled up her arms before coming to a stop near her shoulders-"...Leave them...OUT OF THIS!"
At her shout, the electricity that had traveled up to the she-wolf's shoulders burned off the sleeves of the shirt she was wearing. The sleeves disintegrated and Nariko's markings were revealed for everyone to see. But unlike before when they had been pure white, the markings on Nariko's uppers arm were now glowing a bright blue.
"Quickly! Tighten the loops around our target!" shouted one of Nariko's captors to the other two men.
They were about to comply and tighten the loops around their captive. But just as they were about to do so, the loops around Nariko were suddenly sliced a part. The three men grunted in surprise as they tumbled backwards and landed on their backs. Nariko didn't notice for she was more focused on the leader that was threatening Sumako. Then, before anyone could blink, Nariko quickly appeared in front of the leader and punched him hard within the face. The force of her punch caused the leader to go flying away from Sumako and into the temple wall like the last man. Shigure and Ushio stared in amazement, while the men in black all stared in horror. Then the four men who were restraining Shigure and Ushio let out yelps of pain as their grips on the two loosened. Ushio and Shigure took this chance to kick or punch away their captors. They then ran over to Nariko, who was standing protectively near Sumako as she glared at the men in black suits. Ushio and Shigure knelt down beside Sumako and watched as Nariko walked forward a couple of steps.
"Give this message to the ones who want to recapture me!" growled Nariko at the men in black. "If they so much as dare come near this temple and hurt this family, then I won't hold back on my power to protect them from you!"
After those words left her mouth, the markings on Nariko's upper arms started to glow brighter before lighting began to crackle out of them. Fear gripped at the men's hearts before they all turned and began to run. Just as they did, the lighting from Nariko's markings shot out and started to zap uncontrollably around the courtyard. Some of the lighting bolts luckily missed hitting the men that were running to escape them. The leader of the group quickly followed after them, along with the last man that Nariko had punched. The lightning continued to zap around the temple courtyard for a moment before the men in black had finally left through the temple gate. The lightning soon came to a halt as Nariko slowly began to relax, while letting out loud pants in the process. After she began to relax, Nariko felt all of her energy leave her body before she closed her eyes and began to fall forward. Ushio quickly stood up and caught the young she-wolf before she could hit the ground, while calling out her name in the process.
"Nariko!"
Shigure and Sumako quickly appeared at their son's side to check on Nariko. The she-wolf let out a light groan as she opened her eyes halfway to reveal that they had returned to normal. Nariko weakly lifted her head up to look at the Aotsuki family with a concerned expression upon her face.
"Mr. Shigure...are you and your family alright?" asked Nariko in a soft voice.
"Yes, little wolf," answered Shigure with a reassuring smile upon his face. "We're alright."
Nariko smiled back at him: "Thank goodness."
Her eyes closed again as she fell into unconsciousness. Ushio grew concerned before Sumako placed a calming hand on her son's shoulder.
"It's alright," reassured Sumako gently. "She just fell unconscious that's all."
Ushio relaxed at his mother's words before looking down at Nariko: "Still...I never knew she had that kind of power."
"Indeed," spoked Shigure with a light frown upon his face. "Let's take her inside first and let her rest for a while."
Ushio nodded his head before he gathered Nariko into his arms and lifted her up bridle style. He blinked in surprise when he found that Nariko barely weighed much within his arms. Concern rose up within Ushio's chest as he looked down at the she-wolf's face.
'Just what did they do to you, Nariko?' thought Ushio as he carried Nariko into the house.
Outside of the temple gates, the men quickly ran across the road towards a set of stairs on the other side. They then ran down the stairs near the road and headed down the steps to where their vans waited for them. The leader leader stopped and turned to glare at the temple for a second before speaking in a low voice.
"This isn't over, freak. We'll be back for you no matter what."
He then turned and follow his men down the stairs as they headed back to the vans. They only got about two steps when the vans suddenly exploded without warning. The few men that had been near the cars had luckily threw themselves to the ground to avoid being hit by flying debris. The men within the black suits stared at the now burning vans in shock and horror. They were all silent for a moment before one of the men cried out in fear.
"T-that place is hunted! That family has a spirit protecting their temple!"
The leader turned to glare at the one who had cried out before speaking in a harsh voice: "Don't be ridiculous! There's no such things as ghosts or spirits!"
"Then how do explain some of the other things that happened back there?" questioned another man in a frightened voice. "The gun that I had when I faced that freak had suddenly been sliced in two before I could tranquilize her."
"Along with the loops that we had captured her with," spoke a third man with a worried frown. "And they had been made from the strongest materials that not even beastmen can cut through."
"Not to mention the cuts that me and the other men had mysteriously gotten when we captured that old man and his whelp," said a fourth member within the group.
The leader turned to look at the one who had spoken and saw the long single scratch mark on his member's hand. The leader frowned as he glanced at the other three men, who also had the same scratch marks on their hands. He then scoffed before he spoke in a firm voice that didn't tremble.
"It was probably that freak of nature. Somehow she learned a few new tricks while she was on the run."
"But how could she have been able to slash at our hands when she had been more focused on you?" questioned one of the men with the scratch mark on his hand.
"I don't know!" shouted the leader in anger. "But what I do know is that there is no such things as ghosts! Also, our mission is to retrieve our target, while making sure that nobody get in our way! Even if we have to use extreme methods to do so!"
Suddenly, the men who stood before the leader started backing up with fear etched upon their faces, which confused the leader for a moment. Then he felt it, an intense killing intent radiating from behind him. The leader slowly turned to look behind him and his eyes widened behind his sunglasses at what he saw. The dark lenses of his glasses reflected two white eyes that glowed red upon their surface. The eyes that reflected upon the glass lenses narrowed before they were replaced by a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. The mouth opened before a loud roar boomed out from jaws of the creature that stood before the scared men. The leader let out a scream of terror before he and his men started running down the road in a panic.
Back inside the house, Nariko had been placed on a the floor of the living room with her head resting on a pillow. After a minute, she slowly began to regain consciousness as her eyes fluttered open. Ushio, who was sitting at the chabudai table with his father, turned to look down at Nariko with a smile upon his face.
"Well, look who's finally awake," spoke Ushio with a chuckle. "Had a nice nap, puppy?"
Nariko frowned at what Ushio had just called her before she slowly sat up from the floor. Sumako entered the room with a warm cup of green tea in her hands. She was wearing a pink short sleeved shirt and a long blue skirt. She sat down on the tatami floor and placed the cup on the table before she turned to look at Nariko with a smile.
"Here," spoke Sumako with a smile on her face. "I made some tea to help calm your nerves."
Nariko looked at Sumako in surprise for a moment before a gentle smile appeared on her face: "Thank you."
Nariko took the cup off the table before she lifted it up to her lips and took a small sip. The tea was lukewarm and Nariko could taste just a hint of honey within the herbal liquid. She swallowed before lowering the cup and placed it back on the table again. The living room was quiet for a moment before Nariko finally spoke up.
"So...I guess you all have questions to the real reason why those men are after me, right?"
"You damn straight we do!" exclaimed Ushio with an angry frown on his face. "What the hell did that guy mean when he said that you had been turned into a beastman? Is there something that you're not telling us?"
"Ushio," chided Sumako as she gave him a stern look.
Shigure had a serious expression upon his face as he calmly stared at Nariko with patience shining within his eyes. The young she-wolf sighed before she decided to answer Ushio's question.
"The truth is...I wasn't born a beastman. I was actually a normal human girl."
Ushio stared at Nariko in surprise, while his mother and father wore looks of confusion along with concern. Ushio was the first one to speak after a second as he looked at Nariko with a frown.
"What do you mean that you had been a normal human girl?"
Nariko looked at him with a sad expression before speaking: "It's a long story..."
Nariko then started to tell the Aotsuki family her tale about her life's story. She told them how she had been an orphan and how nobody wanted her. Nariko then told them about how she met Michiru and Nazuna, and how they winded up becoming friends. The Aotsuki family were shocked to hear how she and her two friends had nearly died when a truck struck them. But were relieved to hear that they didn't suffer any major injuries. Yet they became confused when Nariko told them how Nazuna had turned into a beastman before the she-wolf became one herself. Nariko soon came to the part where she had been captured and placed in the facility. She told them about Nazuna also being trapped there and how the two of them were put through different tests that pushed them to their limits. She got to the part about the mask man freeing Nazuna, but left Nariko behind with Nazuna following him without even questioning his motives. Ushio gritted his teeth in anger, while Sumako looked at Nariko sadly and Shigure had a deep frown of disapproval upon his face.
"...The rest of the story you know," finished Nariko with a light frown. "I escaped from the facility and had been on the run from those men ever since."
The room was silent for a moment before Sumako was the first to speak: "Why didn't you tell us that you were actually a human?"
"I wasn't sure that you would believe me," answered Nariko in an honest voice. "I'd thought that you three would have thought I was crazy or something."
"You make a valid point young wolf," said Shigure with look of understanding.
"But there's something in your story that I don't understand," spoke Ushio with an angry expression upon his face. "Why would your friend Nazuna just leave you behind and follow some random stranger without thinking twice about his actions?"
Nariko frowned as she glared down at the table top: "Believe me, I keep asking myself the same question."
"There's also another thing that I find odd about your story," spoke Shigure in a serious voice. "The fact that you and Nazuna had turned into beastmen without knowing why is concerning. And it makes me wonder if you two aren't the only ones who have experienced this change."
Nariko lifted her head up to look at Shigure in confusion: "What do you mean?"
"You said that both you, Nazuna and Michiru had all gotten into the same accident, correct?"
Nariko nodded her head before realization came over her face, which switched to a look of worry: "You don't think that...?"
"It's possible that your friend Michiru might have also turned into a beastman as well," said Shigure gravely as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Nariko's eyes widened in shock at what Shigure had said before fear slowly gripped at her heart. If what he said is true and if Michiru had turned into a beastman like her then...Nariko clenched her hands into fists upon her lap. The thought of Michiru being captured by those people and turned into a test subject made Nariko dread about her friend's safety. She was brought out of her thoughts when Sumako gently placed a comforting hand upon the she-wolf's shoulder. Nariko looked up at the woman and saw a comforting smile upon Sumako's face.
"I'm sure your friend had avoided being captured by those men," said Sumako in a reassuring voice. "If she had changed into a beastman, then she was probably smart enough to hid herself from the public eye."
Nariko gave Sumako small smile, but she was still doubtful about her friend being safe. Ushio soon switch to the more pressing topic at hand as a serious expression appeared on his face.
"Nariko...when did you learn how to use lighting?" asked Ushio in a serious voice.
Nariko turned her gaze on Ushio and answered his question: "It was when I was still being held within the facility and I was still wearing that shock collar. I was just sitting within my cell after my last stress test session. Angry thoughts were going through my head for a while before I started feeling something crackling between my fingers. At first I thought nothing of it, but when I looked down I saw electricity sparking on the tips of my fingers. I was really surprised when I discovered that I could produce electricity, because it was my first time discovering I could do it."
"I'm guessing you used your new found power to help you escape from the facility, correct?" questioned Shigure with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah," replied Nariko with a nod. "But I had to wait for the right time to use it. So I trained in my prison cell in secret so that I could learn to use my new power properly without losing control of it."
"Well it looked as if you didn't really have much control of it," spoke Ushio with a frown as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You were shooting lightning everywhere within the courtyard when you let it loose on those black suited guys. You were lucky that it didn't hit them directly."
Nariko frowned as a serious expression appeared on her face before she spoke: "To be honest...that was the first time I ever produced such a large amount of electricity."
Ushio's eyes widened in shock at what the young she-wolf had said: "Are you serious?"
Nariko nodded before she continued speaking: "Back at the facility, I was only able to produce a medium amount of electricity from my hands. But even back then, the amount that I produced wasn't as powerful as the one that I did today."
"I'm also guessing that you have never thought that you would produce lighting from those markings on your arms either?" asked Shigure gently.
"No," answered Nariko as she raised her right hand up to touch the white markings on her upper left arm. "I always thought that these markings were unnatural and weird on me. I didn't think that they would also generate electricity that was stronger than what I let off back at the facility."
"I don't see anything wrong with them," spoke Ushio as he gazed at Nariko's markings. "In fact, I think they look pretty cool on you."
Nariko looked at Ushio in surprise before turning her gaze towards the ground as a light blush appeared on her cheeks, which were luckily hidden by her fur.
"Y-you're just saying that to make me feel less embarrassed about having them," stammered Nariko in a bashful voice.
"No, seriously!" exclaimed Ushio as he waved his hands up in front of him. "They really do make you look cool! Unique even if I do say so myself!"
Nariko glanced up at Ushio in surprise when he said that her markings made her look unique. She looked down at the table's surface as her blush grew redder underneath her fur. Sumako let out a soft chuckle, while Shigure smirked at his son before speaking in a teasing voice.
"Be careful, Ushio. Otherwise you might wind up causing Nariko to faint again out of embarrassment with your sweet talking."
Ushio turned to glare at his father in annoyance, while Sumako placed a reassuring hand on Nariko's shoulder again. The young she-wolf looked up to glance at Sumako with a smile before it turned into a small frown. The Aotsuki family noticed this and became concerned before Ushio was the one to speak to her.
"What's wrong?"
Nariko let out a soft sigh before she spoke: "Listen...I think it's best that I leave. Those men will come back and I don't want to put you all in danger again."
Sumako and Ushio sadly gazed at Nariko, while Shigure crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he let out a soft hum. It became quiet at the table for a moment before Shigure finally spoke and what he said surprised Nariko.
"True, those men might come back to the temple. But didn't you tell them that you would also be protecting this place if they ever come back to bother us again?"
Nariko blinked as she stared at Shigure in confusion before Ushio spoke up with a smirk on his face: "My dad's right. You did promise that you would protect us if they ever came back."
Nariko's eyes widened before she started waving her hands up in front of her and started to speak: "Uh...that was...I didn't mean it like..."
"If you're claiming yourself to be the guardian of this temple, then you should up hold your oath," interrupted Shigure as he turned to give Nariko a sly grin.
Ushio nodded his head in agreement with a sly expression also playing out on his face. Nariko stared at the two males for a moment before she lowered her hands and puffed out her cheeks in irritation.
"You two really don't play fair when it comes to not letting people leave," grumbled Nariko angrily.
"Then it's settled," said Shigure firmly as he ignored what Nariko had said. "From now on, you will be the guardian of this temple, and will stay underneath our roof until the end of your days."
"Hold on! I didn't agree to anything yet!" exclaimed Nariko as an anime tick mark appeared on the side of her head.
"Well now that that's done, I'm off to get myself ready for the day," spoke Ushio as he stood up from the floor and headed back to his room.
"I also need to get myself ready as well," said Shigure as he also stood up. "For I have to prepare for my trip to Okinawa."
Nariko glared after the two males as they closed the door behind them before she let out a sigh. Sumako, who had been sitting silently beside her, looked at the young she-wolf with a sympathetic smile upon her face.
"Good grief. Those two are annoying," grumbled Nariko as she turned to glance at Sumako with a look of exasperation on her face. "I get the feeling that one of their ancestors might have been a tanuki."
Sumako chuckled at what Nariko had said: "You might be right about that."
Nariko let out a sigh as her ears sagged down upon her head in exhaustion: "How did I wind up getting myself into this mess?"
"I'm sure Shigure didn't mean that you would literally be the guardian of our temple," reassured Sumako in a gentle voice. "Nor would he place such a burden upon your shoulders either when it comes to protecting us."
Nariko looked at Sumako in confusion before the older woman continued to speak: "I'm thinking that the reason my husband and son want you to stay is because they don't want to see you facing things on your own anymore."
Nariko blinked in surprised at Sumako's words: "You really think so?"
"I'm sure," replied Sumako with an encouraging smile. "Also, I think that it would be good for you to be among people again. And it would be nice to have another female around the house."
"Even if said female is a wolf-girl?" asked Nariko with a playful smile upon her face.
"Even if said female is a wolf-girl," repeated Sumako as she gave Nariko a playful smile back.
Nariko and Sumako soon burst out laughing as joy filled up the young she-wolf's heart. Nariko was starting to like Sumako more and more with every passing minute. There was just something about Sumako that made Nariko feel safe and comforted whenever she was around the older woman. It was a new experience that Nariko had never felt before...and she liked it.
Ten minutes later, Ushio and Shigure entered the living room again. Ushio now wearing a black sleeveless muscle shirt and blue sweat pants, while Shigure wore a mahogany shirt underneath a tan open coat, black trousers and white socks. The two males saw Nariko on the other side of the chabudai table where she sat facing them. Sumako sat on the left said of the table with a smile upon her face, while Nariko sat with a serious expression upon her own. The young she-wolf stared at the two males for a moment before she finally spoke.
"After thinking it over, I've decided to take up your offer of being the guardian of your temple, but on one condition."
"And what condition would that be?" questioned Shigure as he and Ushio sat themselves down at the table.
"That you don't reveal to anyone that I had once been a normal human," answered Nariko in a firm voice. "As you've discovered first hand, those men will take away anyone who would know about my secret. I don't want anyone else to get involved, and wind up being taken away by those men to some place where they won't be seen again."
Shigure's face became serious at Nariko's words before he spoke: "Understood. You have my solemn promise that nobody will know about your past as a human. That includes those within and outside our family."
Nariko smiled at Shigure before it grew serious again as she turned her attention on Ushio. The young she-wolf caught a conflicting look within the young man's eyes before they hardened as he took on a resolved expression.
"Alright...I also promise to keep your secret," said Ushio in a serious voice.
Nariko let out a soft sigh as she smiled sadly at Ushio: "Thank you. I know it might be hard to keep this secret, but it's for both Asako's and all your friends' sakes."
Ushio nodded his head as he returned Nariko's smile. Sumako and Shigure shared a secret smile with each other before the priest stood up from the floor.
"Well, now that everything is settled. It's time for me to pack up my suitcase," he said as he walked out of the living room again.
"I guess I'll call Asako and see what she and Mayuko are doing today," said Ushio as he also stood up from the floor.
Nariko frowned as she tried to think on what she should do before the young she-wolf's stomach let out a low growl. A blush appeared underneath Nariko's furry cheeks and Sumako chuckled before she stood up from the floor.
"I'll go and make you some breakfast," said Sumako with a smile.
"O-okay," voiced Nariko in a shy voice.
She watched as Ushio and Sumako walked out of the room, while closing the door softly behind them. Nariko sat quietly on the floor in front of the chabudai table for a moment before she calmly closed her eyes. The young she-wolf sensed the shadowy presence appear within the room again, but this time it was only a foot away from her. The presence let off the same powerful aura Nariko had sensed when she first came to the temple, but now that she was calm, the young she-wolf could sensed that this presence wasn't a danger. For underneath the powerful aura, she could sense that it had more of a calming nature and was actually curious about her. Nariko decided to resist the temptation to turn and look at the phantom as she had learned that it will only disappeared if she did. Instead, she decided to speak to it in a soft voice so as not to alert the Aotsuki family to its presence.
"I don't know why you did it, but I'd like to say thank you for helping me and the Aotsuki family today. If you hadn't, then those men would have taken the family to the the facility."
Nariko sensed an aura of irritation coming off from the phantom, along with a hit of embarrassment if she wasn't mistaken. The phantom then disappeared from the room while giving out low humph in the process. Nariko opened her eyes again before she glanced over her shoulder to look out at the backyard of the temple grounds. A soft wind blew into the room as it passed through her hair and fur while the young she-wolf let her thoughts wander. Especially to the shadowy presence that kept appearing within the house.
'What exactly is that presence that I keep sensing? Was it some kind of youkai? If so, why is it hanging around this temple?'
An hour later, Nariko was standing outside the front door with Sumako and Ushio to say their farewells to Shigure. Nariko was wearing a new shirt, which was a short sleeved dark blue t-shirt.
"I'll be gone for about three weeks," said Shigure as he informed Nariko and his family. "Until then, I expect you to not slack off when it comes to finishing your chores Ushio."
"Yeah, yeah," grumbled Ushio with a frown.
Shigure then turned his attention on Nariko: "I also expect you to help out with the chores and make sure that Ushio doesn't forget about doing his share."
"Yes sir," replied Nariko with a nod of her head.
"And make sure that you two don't give Sumako a hard time," added Shigure firmly.
"I'm sure that they won't dear," said Sumako as she walked up to her husband and kissed him on the lips. "Now get going or you'll miss your flight."
"Alright, alright," said Shigure as he grabbed the handle of his suitcase.
He started to walk away before he stopped and turned to glare at Ushio: "And another thing, Ushio. Don't you dare eat my Chinese bun if you know what's good for you."
"I got it! Just go already!" shouted Ushio angrily.
Nariko chuckled in amusement, while Sumako waved goodbye to her husband as he walked out of the courtyard and through the temple gate. Ushio let out a groan as he headed back into the house.
"Damn...he's always giving me chores whenever he goes out on one of his trips," grumbled Ushio quietly to himself.
Nariko heard and she could help but smirk as she walked into the house with him: "Maybe he's hoping that giving you chores will improve your character."
"Oh, shut up!" exclaimed Ushio as he walked towards the kitchen.
Nariko followed after him with Sumako watching the two with a knowing smile upon her face: 'Only a day in and the two of them are already starting to act like siblings.'
Ushio and Nariko entered the kitchen and walked over to the kitchen table where a piece of paper sat. Written upon the surface of the paper was the list of chores that the two were given to do throughout the week.
"Okay, let's see what my dad wants us to do," muttered Ushio as he picked up the paper.
Nariko and Ushio began to look over the list before the young she-wolf noticed the young adult tense up suddenly. She glanced up at him in confusion before turning her gaze onto the list again. Nariko's eyes scanned the list before they landed on one of chore items that needed to be get done, and that was to clean the storehouse. The young she-wolf frowned before glancing up to see Ushio's face again. She saw uncertainty and uneasiness etched upon his features, along with a deep sadness shining within the depths of his eyes. Nariko's expression softened slightly before she gently tapped Ushio's shoulder to get his attention. Ushio blinked before he looked at Nariko with a questioning expression upon his face.
"Why don't I take care of cleaning up the storehouse," offered Nariko with a smile.
A surprised look appeared on Ushio's face before he spoke: "Are you sure you can handle that?"
"Sure," replied Nariko with a shrug. "After all, it's just a bit of dusting and organizing the items within the storehouse, right?"
An unsure expression formed on Ushio's face for a moment before a small smile appeared on his face: "Well...as long as you're sure."
"I'm sure," reassured Nariko with a wave of her hand. "Anyways, shouldn't you be heading out to see Asako and that other girl Mayuko?"
Realization came over Ushio before he quickly handed the list of chores to Nariko and ran out of the kitchen, while shouting out in the process.
"Damn it! Asako is going to have my head if I'm late!"
Nariko giggled as she calmly walked out of the kitchen and watched from the doorway as Ushio quickly pulled on his shoes. She then called out to him before he darted out the door.
"Tell Asako I said hi, alright?"
"Yeah, sure! Gotta go!" shouted Ushio before he dashed away.
Nariko stared after him for a moment before shaking her head in amusement: "He'll probably forget to give Asako my message."
She then lifted the list up to look it over. The young she-wolf read the list carefully before she got it all memorized.
After looking it over, Nariko let out a low whistle before muttering to herself: "Whoa, Mr. Shigure sure likes to dump all this load onto Ushio, huh?"
Nariko let out a sigh before she started looking around for the cleaning supplies to take out to the storehouse with her. The she-wolf figured that she should start with the first item on the list before anything else.
'I'm sure that cleaning the storehouse won't be so bad,' thought Nariko to herself.
To be continued