MEMORIES
A Fanfic by Yomi no Miko

Chapter 7: The Meeting
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I imagined myself to be dead when I woke and opened my eyes. There was a heavy stonewall above. Looking around I saw more rocks. I supposed myself to be deep inside a grave then. It was a candle lit chamber carved in stone. However I was laid onto a very soft surface, like a mattress. It was then I realized I wasn't dead - I was breathing, so I ought to be still alive. But where was I? Moreover, how did I get there? I recalled the animal I saw before passing out, and only at that moment could I come to my senses about its true identity. It was a youko, far more beautiful than the one that passed away in my house not long ago. Could it be...?

So I heard a familiar, sweet voice talking to me.

"Are you awake? I thought I would lose you... How do you feel?"

I sat up at once, using all the strength I still had. I had not been mistaken, it was really Kurama who talked to me from the narrow den's entrance. I felt tense, in awe, before that apparition. Maybe I was dead... I could have cried at that very moment if I knew how to do it. I tried to say something, but I felt my throat too tight to give way to words.

Kurama crawled towards me, very softly.

"Where do you think you're going? You gotta rest."

I sensed him sitting right next to me.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked when he realized I would not go back to sleep.

"Kurama," I answered.

The youko smiled. It was such a radiant smile! It was worth my whole life; I would not mind dying after such a blissful vision.

"It's good to know you still remember me, Yomi."

I could only be dead. He remembered me! He remembered that stupid soldier who had threatened him one year ago. I didn't know what to say.

"I've been looking for you," was all that occurred me.

"I know. Try to sleep now, or you won't recover."

I stared at him, begging him for a little more of his company. I was tired, but I didn't want to sleep. I was afraid it all might be only a dream.

"Will you stay here with me?"

"Sure," he answered.

Only then did I close my eyes again.




When I woke up again, this time, very agitated, I felt something very soft brushing my belly. It was Kurama who lay next to me; I had felt his tail being waggled very softly against me.

So it was not a dream.

I was feeling much better, and it was easy for me to sit up this time. I took the chance to give Kurama a more detailed look. He was sleeping soundly. By all the Gods, he was pretty indeed. I didn't want to wake him, but I could not avoid touching his hair, so softly I was sure my touch would not disturb him. But I was mistaken. Just as my fingers lightly touched the tresses which slid down his shoulder, Kurama was brought around, in a quick move. I pulled myself away from him, startled by his sudden jump. Kurama seemed to be scared by something. He breathed deeply, in quick, frightened gasps.

"Sorry!" I excused myself at once. "I didn't want to scare you."

He soon returned to his usual calm ways, moving closer to me.

"I am the one you must forgive. I said I'd be watching over you, and ended up sleeping."

"Do you really remember me?" I questioned him.

"You're Yomi, from Raizen's Kingdom."

I was amazed; he really remembered who I was!

"Why did you help me?"

"You didn't kill me that time, so I decided not to let you die. Are you a hunter now?" he asked, looking at the weapons resting against the wall.

"No! No way!" I cried out, eager to resolve such misunderstanding.

"You can say the truth. I'm not going to harm you after I have helped you."

"You don't understand..." I added, too embarrassed to explain that I joined a hunter's gang only to have a chance to meet him.

"I can see it... Even more than you think I can."

It was then I heard a noise coming from the opposite entrance. Kurama's ears quickly twitched focusing in that specific direction.

"I gotta go now."

He left then, passing through that same passage. I thought about going after him, but I gave up. Soon I was sleeping deeply again.



When I woke up again I felt very well. I could feel myself bursting with energy. I seemed to be even better than before. There was a large tray filled with lots of fruits and many other species of food I didn't know. I ate too much, all I could, gorging myself with all I could have. It was a good thing Kurama was not around to witness such scene.

The den I was kept in was indeed small. There was hardly room enough for me to stand up. It was a hole dug in the ground like a burrow. It should be Kurama's hideout, I thought. It looked safe, but I started to miss sunlight.

I suddenly felt uplifted, too exalted with it all in a way I had never experienced before. My mind started to imagine extremely exciting and delightful things. I was sure Kurama liked me. He had tended me, even supposing I was a bounty hunter, not caring to risk his gang, his stolen treasures, and all his enjoyable adventures... Fantasy and reality had merged and dazed my thoughts. I was sure we would be partners and one day we'd share a kingdom of our own. Everything came to my mind in very clear flashes of memories and images, and it was all better than perfect. I had been through a lot to find that youko, spending over a year of my life in a seemingly vain task, and at last my dreams had come true. I could die of happiness right there.

But once again, I was clue less about many things...



I started to think it was all too quiet around. I waited there for a while but nothing happened. I held on a little more, yet becoming uneasy about it. Where was Kurama anyway? I could not stand waiting any longer, so I left that hole by the same passage Kurama had used to enter. I started to realize the total extent of the underground tunnels. It looked like a maze. There were lots of other passages crossing the corridor before me, some of them apparently narrower than the one I had just left. I decided to follow straight ahead, in search of any sign of life. Guided by my usual impatience, I walked through lots of corridors, and after a few instants I considered myself totally lost. I sat down on the floor to try to calm down and think on some solution. What a hell of a situation I had pushed myself into!

So I heard something.

I headed towards that sound, and when I arrived closer to the chamber which seemed to be its source I realized it was the screaming sound of a fight. I entered by a small opening in the wall, so narrow I had to creep to pass through. The light was dim, but the sounds and screams got louder as I followed further in. I felt as if I was being buried alive, but I didn't stop my advance. It was almost absolutely dark inside. I sneaked towards the light so that I could take a look inside that suffocating hole and see what was going on. Finally I got to be close enough to do so. A tall youkai shouted so angrily I could barely understand his words. Then, at the opposite corner of that room, I saw Kurama, standing up, with downcast eyes.

"What do you think you're doing? Do you think I'm gonna put up with it? You won't make a fool out of me!" cried out the youkai standing before Kurama.

I crawled in closer. The angry guy was a very big youkai, with a far broader build than Kurama. He must have been almost eight feet tall. I had never seen anything like him. The Northern Hunters I knew were like cubs compared to him. He seemed very strong and had very long hair; his mane looked like Raizen's but its color was pitch black. Long, huge horns raised from his brow, which assured me he certainly was very powerful. He had reddish eyes; eyes which sparkled with fury as he shouted at Kurama.

The youko remained silent and downcast. The creature came closer to him in a threatening manner. He uttered then, very gravely.

"You're gonna kill him. Do you understand?"

Kurama looked up, giving out a suffocated murmur.

"No. You can't force me to do it again..."

Fast as lightening, the creature turned against the youko, slapping his face. The aggression was so furious and hard Kurama was thrown against the ground, unable to resist.

I almost cried out my agony, but no sound left my throat. Blood trickled from the corner of Kurama's lips. The scared youko stayed there, sitting down on the ground, submissive like a mindful slave.

"You're gonna do what you're told and obey me like always," the youkai affirmed, showing a more collected tone of voice. It was as if hitting Kurama had somehow eased him.

"I did nothing wrong..."

"Shut up!" The demon shouted out, getting excited again. The furious brawl made Kurama cuddle to himself, hiding his face with his arms as if awaiting another spanking.

"Why are you like that? Isn't it enough for you to put me in danger showing yourself off all around the Makai? And now you bring a bounty hunter into my refuge!"

I swallowed hard when I realized they they were fighting over me. The big youkai continued...

"What do you want? You want to kill me and bring another youkai to fill my place, don't you? Why don't you confess it?"

"It's not true."

"Damned liar! I gave you everything, I taught you all you know, and this is the way you repay me? You think you're a great thief but you're nothing. I made you be what you are today, and I can destroy you if I decide to, do you hear me?" He stopped for a moment, as if to take a deeper breath, but soon kept on his fury. "I thought you'd be better, more kind and generous with age, but you're still the same greedy, arrogant child I had the bad luck to save."

The monster came closer to Kurama, grasping him by the hair, and forcing him to stand up. I froze. I could not believe my eyes. It could only be a nightmare.

"Forgive me..." Kurama whispered then.

"I'm ashamed of you. You do as you want, thinking only about yourself. I know about everything you do out there! I know all they say about you!" He shouted violently, shoving Kurama against a wooden table, made into splinters after the impact.

The youko groaned, holding back the scream which would only irritate his torturer further still. The youkai was mad with rage.

"Stand up, you damned youko! Don't give me this feigned act! I know this is not pain for you; I know you prefer it this way, don't you? On your feet!" Kurama finally obeyed, walking dizzy steps towards the monster, snuggling to him then.

"Forgive me please. I'm gonna be better, I love you... Don't be mad with me..."

The youkai held him by his shoulders, so they could stare at each other.

"You've promised me the same too many times..."

"I mean it. Please, believe me..."

The youkai held Kurama by his belts, pulling him closer. Then he opened his shirt, stripping it off him.

"Why don't you love me like I do you?" he asked, stroking the youko's back with his huge hands. And Kurama all the while stood still like a statue.

"I do..." Kurama murmured. "I swear it..."

He closed his eyes then.

The demon touched his hair, pulling it to the side so as to kiss the nape of his neck. I could not see exactly what happened, but it seemed to me as the youkai kissed Kurama harder, his long horns hurt the youko's back. The youko squirmed away, instinctively trying to escape the hug. But the monster reacted strongly, in a maddening fury. He pushed the youko away, thrusting him onto the ground.

"You loathe me, is that it? Who do you think you are? A Prince?"

"I didn't do it on purpose..."

"Silence, cursed youko! It's gonna be the way you want it then..."

In fright I watched the whole disgusting scene. Kurama was spanked till he passed out. All the while he neither resisted in the slightest, nor summoned his you-ki in any way, not even to relieve his pain. It was all very distressing. I could not grasp what was the real meaning underlying such an insanity. When it seemed he was too tired, the monster sat down, and he kept gazing at his unconscious victim. The youkai remained very still, unmoving, and then he started crawling back towards Kurama. I thought he might kill him right there, but I was wrong.

"Kurama, why did you let me do this to you?" he asked, almost softly as he took the youko, bringing him up into his arms, very carefully.

He left then, moving into another chamber, taking the collapsed youko with him.

I was so startled I could barely breathe. I think it took me a time to recover myself and think about what my next step would be. I started to crawl back to escape that hole, but it was difficult. For a moment I imagined I might be stuck in there. After leaving that oppressing passage I'd still have to think about a solution for my present situation. My brow was all covered with a cold sweat and my hands were shaking so much that probably I wouldn't be able to hold something if I had to. I didn't know what to think or what to do... Should I run away and try to find my way back into the forest? Or should I go after Kurama, in through that maze to try to help him? For a while I wished that I had perished in the forest, so as not to face such standstill.

I hardly noticed two youkai lurking by...

"Who are you?" the tallest one asked, with arrogance. He aimed a curved, long sword blade right at my neck then.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" said the other one, holding me, forcing my arms back to tie them on my back.

I didn't react. I had neither will nor strength to do so.

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Shrine to Yomi-Sama -