Disclaimer – I do not own any of the characters of Blue Seed, I only own

Akina, Kisho, Indaliai, Kameko, Katsuhiro and the animals. Everyone else is borrowed either from the series Blue Seed or from Japanese mythology.

Note – While I am writing this for fun and as a vacation from the other stuff

            I am working on in the so-called "real" world, I would greatly appreciate

            it if people would let me know how I am doing. Whether you like the

            Story or hate it I would love to know what you think. Keep in mind

            that suggestions are always welcome. Updates will for the most part be

            pretty slow as I am working around 2 advanced placement classes and

some other big obligations, I will update as much as I am able…but updates more than likely going to be slow. Oh, and I am running out of chapter names so some might not have very good names.

Chapter 5 – Oh Course it depresses her

The moment Akina appeared in Momiji and Kusanagi's living room she was swept up within Katsuhiro's arms, preventing her from falling, as she would have otherwise done. As soon as he had seen that she had no life endangering injuries Katsuhiro pulled away, grabbed her by the shoulders and proceed to shake her.

"You are insane Akina, he could have killed you! I thought you said you wouldn't go looking for trouble, but yet I find that you are fighting Murakumo."

"I didn't go looking for him! I went home, to my island, to warn the animals. Not that it would have mattered, Murakumo would have found me if I had entered the realms of chaos. Now would you mind not shaking me? It is hurting my head."

Realizing what he had been doing Katsuhiro stopped immediately and stared as Akina leaned weakly against him. Worried hi picked her up and placed her, lying down, upon the couch behind him.

"Akina what is wrong? Were you hurt and it just doesn't show?"

"I'm fine, just tired. I fought from sun set to sunrise, not an easy thing. Add on the amount of energy I expended in the form of balls of energy and I can't see how I made it here before collapsing. Yet after all that the bastard is still among the living. I only nicked him once, in the middle of the mitamas upon his chest, but still only once!"

"Damn it Akina! It doesn't matter that you only nicked him, it matters that you are still alive."

"He's right sister, you are alive and that is what really counts."

"What are you doing here Indaliai? You should be in the Heavens with Mother."

"Humph, why does it not surprise me that even exhausted and drained you still feel as if you know what is best for everyone. Mother mentioned what was going on and I thought you might need some help. I didn't know that Katsuhiro was back, though, I just knew that Mother had needed to defend something, one of her actions to the other gods."

"Not surprising, anything involving me seems to get someone in trouble. Just watch after tonight Kisho or someone else will find a way to lay the blame for Murakumo's reappearance upon my shoulders. I meant it though Indaliai you should not be here, Mother is going to need your help and it is going to get very dangerous to be here shortly."

"I know, I just wanted to make sure you were alright. sigh I want to help, but I don't know what I could do that would be of help here."

"Keep Kisho away from me, if I see him I'll kill him. Murakumo let a few thing slip as we fought. It seems that Kisho has had contact with Murakumo throughout the years that the Arigami have been asleep."

"I'll pass it on and if I see or hear anything I'll let you know. And Akina be careful if Murakumo and Kisho have been in contact it is not going to be as easy a fight as you think."

"dryly I realize that, I only spent all night fighting him, but I give you my word that I won't take him or the threat he poses lightly. Now get ye gone, before something happens and you get hurt or stuck here."

With a hugs for Akina and Katsuhiro and a blinding flash of light Indaliai was gone.

"weary sigh Did anything happen here during the night?"

"Momiji and I were knocked unconscious by Murakumo's reappearance in this world. No Arigami appeared if that is what you mean. What is going on with you Akina?"

"weary voice Fighting Murakumo was exhausting. I'll be better off after some sleep."

Wiggling further into the couch Akina drifted to sleep warmed by a blanket and the many animals upon her and around her. Sighing Katsuhiro stood and with a last look at his wife, walked towards the kitchen to join the members of the TAC. As soon as he walked in they turned to him, unasked questions upon their faces. Warming his hands on a mug of tea Katsuhiro leaned against the counter and waited for the questions he knew were going to come. He had remained in the living room after regaining consciousness wondering and worrying about the confrontation between Akina and Murakumo. While he had faith in Akina's fighting abilities, she was a goddess after all; he worried that she would not be able to stand against Murakumo. Murakumo had been his brother and his murderer so Katsuhiro knew well what he could do. When Akina had appeared a flood of relief had filled him and he had wanted nothing more than to lock Akina in a room and make sure she never took such a risk again. At the same time, though he knew that he couldn't, after his death he had watched over Akina as best he could and had seen her separate herself from those around her and retreat to her Island. He had seen her grief and it had torn him to pieces watching her cry herself to sleep and then go about the business of the world with a cold and indifferent attitude. Now that he was back in the mortal world all he wanted was to take Akina someplace secluded where trouble such as Murakumo couldn't find or effect them and they could live their lives in peace. But he knew they both had a duty to fulfill before they would be granted their peace. Inwardly sighing Katsuhiro tugged his attention back to the faces around him and the mug of tea in his hands, taking a drink of the warm liquid he waited, but not for long.

"What had happened? Is Akina back?"

"nods She and Murakumo fought all night. From her account Murakumo is stronger due to a little help from her brother, Kisho. sigh The fight exhausted her though, and depressed her to a small extent. She hated the fact that they fought all night and all she did was nick him, that it was between the mitamas upon his chest didn't seem to matter to her."

"Nicking him between the mitamas on his chest depressed her?!"

"Kusanagi, she is the Goddess of Fighters, of course it depresses her. But if Kisho has aided Murakumo then Akina is rather lucky to be alive. Kisho hates Akina, though I have never understood why. From some of the things Akina has let slip no one in the heavens really likes her anymore, they haven't since it became known that she was the Goddess of Fighters. It wasn't until later that it was found out that Akina was also the Goddess of Animals and by then she had severed the majority of her ties to the heavens."

"So why is she helping us?"

"There are some ties she couldn't sever, the ties of family and promise. Susano-oh called upon both when he asked for her help, in a way he forced her hand."

"unhappy tone You mean she was forced to help us?!"

"sigh She wasn't forced or tricked into helping, she was just made to help you openly. She would have helped anyway just not openly. Before Murakumo killed me I bound her with a promise that she would not fight the Arigami unless the price of her not fighting would be her life. If Susano-oh had not brought her to see me she would have done everything she could to entice Murakumo into attacking her so that she would have to fight back. But Susano-oh brought her to me and I released her from her promise only to be given back my life by her mother."

"So why would you chose to help us when Murakumo killed you once already? Aren't you afraid that he will kill you again?"

"No soft sigh I am more worried that Murakumo will force Akina into a position where she has to choose between my life and hers and I'm afraid that I know what her choice will be, her life for mine."

Silence filled the kitchen as the members of the TAC contemplated what Katsuhiro said, and thought about those they cared about and what they would so at the loss of someone that close. As each was lost in their thoughts animals began walking in to sit in front of Katsuhiro.

"Katsuhiro, husband of the Goddess Akina, a moment please."

Startled Katsuhiro looked up to see a regal white tiger standing before him, surrounded by the rest of the animals from Akina's island.

"I am Hoshi and I speak for the Island's animals as well as my mate Toyo. We wish to be of help against Murakumo and his Arigami followers. We also wish to insure the heath of our goddess. You are her husband and we would trust her in your care if you had not already lost to Murakumo once. We will help with the task of protecting the Princess Kushinada as well. But be fore warned if anyone threatens the well being of the goddess, questions will not be asked first."

Without waiting for an answer Hoshi left the kitchen, the other animals following behind.