Disclaimer: I don't own Shuichi Minamino/Kurama, Youko Kurama or even
Kuronue. I, however, do own Taka-Kai, Mia Sakura, and Mitsubo.
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~~~ Taka-Kai's P.O.V. ~~~
"See that boy? Yes, that one, with the gorgeous blood red hair and enchanting emerald green eyes. Shuichi Minamino, a handsome and perfect human specimen, is he not? I bet you're wondering why I said human. Look at me for your answer. Prussian red hair, mint green eyes, fangs, claws, bushy white tipped Prussian red fox tail, black tipped Prussian red fox ears on the top of my head. I am a Yo-Ko kitsune, a spirit fox demon from Makai, the demon world. Don't worry little one, I won't hurt you. Ha. I bet you wonder why I called you little one, eh? I may look eight-teen but I'm really hundreds of years older. Oh my, we seem to have strayed off subject. Good, he's still there, talking to that human male selling flowers. How sweet, he's buying a rose for his beloved mother. Hmph! It's sickening considering what he used to be. What did he use to be? A Yo-Ko kitsune. A thief. Youko Kurama, the famous Makai thief. Youko was a good leader, I'd tell you of his many exploits but, I'd prefer to tell you a story instead, a story on exactly how a young vixen got mixed up with the best thief the three worlds have ever known."
I was three in Makai years, I still hadn't learned to walk upright, I'd strayed from the other kits and was now running on all fours through a field of wildflowers. I stopped to sniff some and didn't even notice the shadow that darkened the ground suddenly, I didn't even notice the sniffing sounds in my ear. "Hello there." A calm voice from above me said. I jumped and looked up at a boy about five, his hair was long and silver and his tail solid silver and straight, not bushy like my own. I stood up and waved. "Hi hi!" I said smiling my fox smile, my own special smile, a smile that involved my eyes being closed, a happy smile, the smile of a small kit content with the world. He smiled back and I noticed one of his ears flicker, it was solid silver, not two different colors like all the ears I'd seen, I just had to touch it. I reached out and caught his ear in my grasp, it was soft and silky, I giggled as it twitched. Then, he reached out and caught one of my own ears, I felt the muscles in my ears pull, trying to escape his grasp, he laughed. I released his ear and he released mine. "I'm Kurama, Youko Kurama." He said, gold eyes sparkling. "Taka-Kai." I replied, still amazed by everything the new Yo-Ko did. "You like flowers, don't you?" He asked curiously. I nodded enthusiastically and replied. "Yea! Their pretty and make my nose tickle." I giggled the last line. He nodded, knowing what I meant, then pointed behind me. "Look," He said. "A butterfly," I turned my head and watched the large yellow butterfly fly away, I felt someone grab my hand, place something in it then curl my fingers around a slender stem. Curious, I turned my head back around and brought my hand up to my face, in it was a blood red rose, I sniffed it, it smelled really sweet and I closed my eyes still sniffing. "Like it?" Youko's curious voice broke through to me, I opened my eyes and looked at him curiously before it hit me, he'd gave me the rose. I nodded enthusiastically and hugged him. "Love it, thank you," He opened his mouth but then a loud yelping bark rang out, it hit me like a ton of weights. "MOMMA!" I yelled out, let go of Youko and ran off on all fours, well all threes considering the hand with the rose in it was pulled to my chest. I didn't even look back, all I knew was something had happened.
I couldn't have saved them if I'd tried to. Mom and Dad and all my brothers and sisters were killed by a rival kitsune family. Their smells were different but all had the same base sent, wet earth after a heavy rain, the same sent Youko Kurama had, Youko's family killed my own. He was not to blame, he couldn't have know, but, back then I was too young, too loving, too trusting. Youko knew, he knew everything that was going to happen, I wouldn't find out until later years but Youko had been sent to kill me, but he'd instead spared my life. He could have killed my five times over. I was in his debut, that's the worse thing that could have happened to me, being in Youko Kurama's debut.
I was eight in Makai years and had found one thing out in the years
I'd grown up without my family: Its a doggy dog world out there and
you have to steal to survive. I'd become a good thief with a knack for
getting past spells and high security, I had a love for magical items
or anything unusual, such as giant boomerangs. I was coming home to my
den, in fox form, after a hunt and I caught the scent of a dog, not a
dog in that way, but a dog, as in male fox. I padded softly into my
den, I looked in the corner and a silver fox tail was wagging from
under my sheets, I held back a growl and turned into human/fox form
and grabbed the nearest thing, a giant boomerang, and started hitting
the intruder with it, he yelped and ran out the entrance, I put the
boomerang down in the corner and cleaned up my den. I picked up a
blood red rose I'd kept alive only by feeding it my youki, demon
energy, I brought it to my nose and sniffed, then placed it on the
table in the corner.
I saw that strange fox numerous times over the years, but I could
never connect each appearance, to me they were different foxes. I
never could realize that that fox was the same small kit that has
spared my life and given me a rose, but the next time I met hi, was
when I'd figure out who he was. I was thirteen in Makai years.
I was walking through the woods in my human/fox form after a successful hunt, I'd eaten until I was full, hidden my food, and was heading to the hot springs so I could lie on a hot rock. The fur on my body bristled and stood on end, even the hair on my head stood up, giving my hair an even choppier look to it. Maybe I should take this moment to describe what I was wearing, because its the same style of clothes I always wear. Bandages wrapped around the upper half of my body and the lower half of my body, over that a wore white pants that were baggy and closed tightly on the top and bottom on my ankles. I wore a white shirt that was baggy but had no sleeves at all, just closed tightly at the top. Now that that's done, I'll tell you what happened next. Suddenly several different kinds of demons jumped out of the bushes and the fight was on. The next thing I knew all the joints in my body burned in pain and I collapsed, they were standing over me and I was scared, not knowing what they had in mind when, "Stop! Leave her be!" A male voice sounded from out of my line of vision, it was a relief but it still scared me, I'd learned that a male, saving you or not, could still be dangerous. The other demons shrank away and I felt strong arms pick me up, I thrashed and fought back, or at least tried to, the only thing that moved was my tail, I blacked out from the pain of moving.
When I woke up I was lying in a heated cave on fluffy blankets. I heard two male voices talking, one was my savior's voice and the other was strange and unfamiliar. I turned my head and looked at them, they were facing a fire. One had large black bat wings, black hair, a black coat and a black hat on his head, most people would think he was a bat demon, he was chimera. The other wore white clothes similar to mine, only he had sleeves on his shirt that ended on the tops of his shoulder, he had long silver hair, a silky looking solid silver tail and solid silver fox ears perched on the top of his head. The fox smelt familiar, like wet earth after a heavy rain and a field of roses. The chimera smelt nice as well but not familiar, like the fox.
"Kuronue, what are we gonna do with her?" The fox asked. "Isn't it
obvious?" The chimera asked with a perverted tone in his voice.
"Kuronue!" The fox scolded. "Fine, I don't know." Kuronue answered.
The fox sighed and glanced over at me, his eyes were gold and closed
my eyes and pretended to be asleep, but it was too late. "She's
awake." The fox told Kuronue, I opened my eyes and they walked over to
me. The fox started to register in my brain, I knew him, but from
where? "Who are you?" Kuronue asked. "Taka-Kai." I answered, hoping
the fox would recognize me, his eyes widened but instead he said
noting. "I'm Kuronue." Kuronue said. "I'm Kurama, Youko Kurama." Youko
said in the same tone he'd used when I first met him. "YOUKO!" I said
happily and used my tail to push myself off of the ground, the result
was me slamming into Youko in about the same way someone who hadn't
seen a friend in a long time would hug them. Kuronue looked shocked,
but I was too happy, Youko was my friend, and I knew I was safe now.
He hugged me back. "Its nice to see you again too." He said, his voice
right in my ear, he sounded like he meant it too.
And for awhile, I was happy with just knowing my friend was with me
again, so happy I'd forgotten that I was in his debut, but Youko
hadn't forgotten, he never forgot anything, anything at all. The years
flew by faster than they normally did, Youko gathered followers,
fellow thieves that looked up to him for his ability to get past any
trap and any security measure. Youko Kurama, Kuronue and I were the
best of friends, we did our own solo heists together, I was sixteen in
Makai years when my newly found world stared to come spiraling down.
I'd woken up early that morning, stretched, grabbed my clothes and
taken a bath, I'd just gotten back when Youko was discussing the next
solo heist with Kuronue. "Kuronue, tonight we're going after the
mirror." Youko said, he looked a little over confident, but then
again, when you were as good as Youko your ego did tend to grow. "Sure
thing Kurama, we just need to tell T.K. when she gets up!" Kuronue
said, using Youko's and my own nickname. "I'm up, and I know what
we're going after." I said walking into Youko's room and plopping down
next to Kuronue, bringing one knee to my chest, crossing my arms over
it and lying my head down on my arms. "Good, then you already know its
dangerous." Youko said, trying his best to get me riled up, it worked.
"I live for danger Kurama, and you know it." I said smiling my fox
smile, my smile that hid my eyes and the emotion deep within me, it
was a grin, teeth flashed, eyes closed, a smile so unlike the one I'd
smiled when I was three. "Poor T.K., shes become a living Ice Queen."
Kuronue said out loud on purpose. "Kuronue, your talking to yourself
again," Youko said. "You sure you no longer need to see the
psycotrist?" He asked. Kuronue shook his head, I stood up, tail
uncurled and wagging slightly at my own tranquillity, "Besides
Kuronue, I'm an Elemental Queen, not just ice." I said as I walked out
of the cave, the fire in the room that had recently went out flashed
back to life in an instant, as I walked away I heard Kuronue tell
Youko, "Hey Kurama, T.K. lights your fire!" He laughed. I could
imagine Youko staring at him like he'd lost his sanity.
That night Youko crept into my cavern and gently shook me, when that
didn't work he dumped a bucket of icey cold water on my head, I woke
up, slapped him, shooed him out, changed my clothes and went outside.
Youko was standing there trying not to laugh and Kuronue was guffawing
idioticly. I crossed my arms, tapped my foot on the ground, arched an
eyebrow and looked at them both with anger evedent in my eyes. Youko
looked up at me, then at Kuronue, he elbowed him and he stopped
guffawing. "I'm very sorry for Kuronue's behavior Taka-Kai." Youko
said with a smile, damn him, why'd he always have to pull on the charm
when I was supposed to be mad at him? I let out a deep sigh, they both
knew now that Youko's plan had worked. I took half a step forward, and
to this day you have my word as a fox that my foot hadn't even touched
the ground yet and Youko's men woke up and started screeching in pain.
I know my eyes widened in shock, I could tell because Youko put his
hand on my shoulder and said. "It's o.k. T.K., I'm sure the men didn't
get attacked my woman-eating monsters, most likely man-eating
monsters." He said it in a reasurring voice, even though it was a
joke. I nodded. "Well, it looks like we'll have to skip the hiest."
Kuronue said sadly. "T.K., you have extremly good healing powers, why
don't you go check on them? Kuronue and I will go on the hiest and
that way the men will be safe and happy, I mean, you are third in
command, Lieutenant Taka-Kai." Youko said, good humur no longer in his
voice, somehow he'd threw in the ranks we had in his little band of
thieves, and who can disobey an order from the General? I suluted him,
but was steaming inside, I had wanted to go. "Sir yes sir." I mumbled
and slumped off to check on the men.
I'd somehow gotten all the men healed from the killer gerbil attack,
what? You didn't know that Makai was home of the killer gerbils and
gaint chickens (A.N: I took this idea from a story. Damnit, I forgot
who, but I give them credit for this idea.)as well as demons? Well,
now you know. Anywho, I was asleep in bed when I felt Youko's energy,
but just Youko's. I sat up, one thought echoing through my mind:
Kuronue was caught. The tears poured from my eyes as I ran out of the
cavern, only in my nightgown, which earned me cat calls from the
demons lower in rank than I. "Kurama," I said, using Kuronue's name
for him, "Where's Kuronue?" I barely chocked out Kuronue's name. Youko
raised his face up to meet mine, his eyes where misty. "He was killed
T.K., they finiliy took him out, finiliy." His voice trailed off, I
closed my eyes, hardly daring to do what I wanted, but I did it
anyway, I reached out, grabbed Youko and pulled him close, resting my
chin on the top of his head between his ears. "I'm sure that Kuronue
is happy now, demons are already in hell, the only place they can go
is to heaven, and its made of gold, I'm sure Kuronue's basking in the
glory of heaven." I whispered softly, Youko pulled away, stood up
straight and said. "I knew that all along." And he walked off to tell
his men.
Youko stood infront of us tall and proud, normaly I stood next to him,
but he'd made me squeeze in with all the perverts, who were now taking
advantge of my current state of dress, even though my body was fending
off the perverts, my mind, eyes, ears and heart were on Youko Kurama,
standing tall and proud. His hair was brushed until it shone like
satin and silk, it was straight and elegent, just like Youko, his
tunic was pressed and it had been made to wrinkle in certain spots, he
no longer wore the shawl but the rest of his outfit was the same. His
ears were like silver crushed velvet sitting on top of his head, his
skin was washed and scrubed and had the look of soft cream, his tail
was just as silky as his hair and his eyes shone like polished gold.
The perfect image of leadership, and the perfect image of some vixens
fantasies, in the words of Koto, announcer at the Dark Tournament,
when she saw Youko back into his human form: There goes my weekend.
"Kuronue and I went on a hiest by ourselves last night, while we were
escaping Kuronue's pentand fell, he went to get it back and bamboo
fell from the ceiling and killed him, with his last breath he told me
to escape," He said, I could hear his voice tremble. I felt my eyes
swell up with unspilled tears. "I've brought back bamboo seeds, to
honor Kuronue, and to stop me from slautering you for insubordination,
you must carry the seed with you forever." He said, his voice cold and
hard, he motioned to the basket of seeds next to him. And one my one
we walked up, picked up a seed and hid it on our being.
A few years went by and I was seventeen in Makai years, my heart ached
with the still fresh loss of Kuronue, it seemed fresh but it had been
decades, I missed my friend, but as always Youko never forgot
anything, and through all this he remembered the debut I owed him,
twrice, life deubt, innocence debut and a shelter debut. Damn debuts!
But I'd repay them, soon.
"You called me General Youko Kurama?" I asked gently nudging my head
around the corner, if he'd called me in ranks, I'd answer him in
ranks. "T.K., you do know what the Yoh-Ko motto is, don't you?" He
asked me. (A.N.: I burrowed this motto too, but I forgot who owns it.
*sweatdrops*) A shiver went down my spine leaving my tail fur standing
out. "Yes Kurama, I do. 'Quod Disera Obtina.'" I quoted off the tip of
my tounge, he motioned for me to come in so I padded silently over to
him. "Roughly translatted it means 'I Get What I Want.' At first I
wanted to stay with my family, then I wanted to play with the other
kits, then I wanted to see the small vixen I'd met as a child again,
then I wanted all the gold I could get, then I wanted my friend back,
but now, I want that vixen to stay with me and not leave like she did
before." He said it all in one breath, and the last thing he said
raised the fur on my body and made my hair get an even choppier look,
it was sweet, so unlike Youko. "Kurama, I won't leave you, your my
friend." I said back to him, he looked at me with those polished gold
eyes and I felt just like one of the vixens who dreamed about him, I
swallowed hard to get from swooning. "But you already have T.K., your
not the same small vixen you used to be." He said it like it was
obvious, which it was. "I grew up, and besides, your not the same dog
you were." I said plopping down in front of him. "I know, but do you
remember the time you walked out and set the fire in this cavern back
on?" He asked me, color coming back to his paling cheeks. I laughed.
"Yes, and Kuronue said, 'Hey Kurama, T.K. lights your fire!' What
about it?" I asked. He reached forward and took one of my hands in
his. "He was right. It just took me all this time to figure that out."
He said, my eyes softened, "That was so sweet and so unlike you, who
put you in my Kurama's place?" I asked him, not relizing I'd called
him mine, he smiled, obviously catching my mastake. "I am your
Kurama," He said pulling me into a hug, "And your my T.K." He
whispered, voice right in my ear.
Humans are disgustingly vile creatures, I bet your thinking strange
and perverted thoughts in your human brain, eh? Well we didn't do
anything, he kissed my cheek and let me go, something Youko normally
doesn't do. A year pasted, and as I said many times before, Youko
remembered my debuts to him, he'd told me what had happened and said
to repay my debuts to him that I'd have to become his mate, in human
terms his wife, as soon as he completed his goal of having all the
gold in the Makai. Well, I remember saying this before but I'll say it
again, my perfect little thief's life was about to come crashing down
around my furry little ears. And the next pillar that held up the roof
of my reality came crashing down when I was seventeen in Makai years.
I woke up and padded into Youko's chamber, he was sound asleep and
looke positivly innocent, I smiled and gently shook him awake, trust
the Yoh-Ko to wake up at the first touch my my fingers on his skin. He
sat up and smirked at me. "Good morning Lieutenant Taka-Kai." He
laughed out. "G'mornin' Genral Youko Kurama." I said smiling back at
him. "Get into the main cavern, tell the men I'll be in in a few short
minutes." He said, I nodded and walked into the main cavern. Okay
T.K., you have to stand up tall and speak directly to them in ranks, I
told myself. "Okay troops, Genral Youko Kurama said he'd be out in a
few minutes, so you know what that means, he's changing our hiest
schecdule." I annoumced in my best determened voice, I knew he was
changing the schedule because uusaluly he walks in without
intoductuion and tells them to move out. Youko walked in behind me, he
lyed a clawed hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear as he walked
past me. "I'll tell you ahead of time, your staying here," My ear
flickered, whenever Youko told me to stay behind something bad
happened, but I turned my ears, eyes, and heart to Youko once more.
"I've been observing the troops for awhile now, it seems to me that
the hunters from Rekai, the spirit world, are getting closer with
everyday, I've come to the conclusion that theres a traitor amongst
us, I, and I alone," He glanced at me. "Are going on this hiest, your
all going to stay here. I'll be back by sunrise tomorrow, I promise
you that." And with that the perfect vision of Youko Kurama, my love,
turned and left out the cave door.
I woke up the next morning before sunrise, Kurama never broke a
promise, never. I padded softly over the rocks and sat down on a large
rock at the entrance. "Thats strange," I mumbled to myself while
looking outside. "Everything looks muddy brown." And it was true, the
Makai sky was already muddy brown to begin with but now everything was
that color, the rain was coming down so thick I couldn't even see the
line of trees just outside the cave, the ground was so soaked in was
muddy, but everything else was brown, unusual, very unusal.
Hours later I went down to have breakfast, a chicken leg, and then
went outside with my royal blue cloak wrapped around myself. "YOUKO!
YOUKO KURAMA!" I screamed into the wind, I couldn't see anything but I
used my sense of smell to manuver around, I just kept calling out his
name, it was five o' clock when I started crying, and I kept crying
and screaming out his name. I finily went inside, the troops must have
smelt my sadness, because not even they made catcalls at me wearing
soaked clothes.
I barely dragged myself out of bed the next morning, I couldn't bear
the fact Youko broke a promise, and if he broke a promise than
something was wrong. I was sitting on a mat around the low lying maple
table picking the meat our of my bowl of ramen when the messanger came
in. "Excuse me, but who's the higest in rank here? I have a message."
He said, I stood up and faced him. "That would be me." I mumbled out.
"Good, its about General Youko Kurama," He said easily, "He's in the
western lands near the temple of the sun goddess." I nodded and
followed him out, then I took off, the troops seemed curouis and
followed me.
I dashed across the open feilds of grain, my mind was taking in the
scenery, everything was blue today, it was drizzling slightly and the
sky had even taken on a blue hue, I took a deep breath and prepared
myself. The troops followed closely, the other lieutenants flanking
me, because I was aide-de-camp to General Youko Kurama that made me
slightly higer in rank than them, Youko refused to select a colonel,
he didn't want to take Kuronue's place. Then I broke through into a
dry spot where it hadn't rained, strange weather in Makai, it can be
raining on all sides of a lake except over it, there, lying dead was
Youko Kurama. Now before I go into anything else, let me tell you
something, A Yo-Ko's body still stays soft and warm after its been
killed, hell, it doesn't even rot, the only thing thats really wrong
with the body is its lack of soul, breathing and heart beat. I don't
know what came over me really, the next theing I knew I was hugging
Youko tightly to myself crying like there was no tomorrow. I felt
everyone staring at me, mourning in there own way's, but I refused to
let them near Youko, I'd put him somewhere safe, somewhere he'd want
to be, somewhere beutiful.
It was difficult sneaking into Rekai carring a dead body, but I
managed, I snuck into an empty room, pulled out a large ruby that had
a rose carved on it, placed it on the wall and watched it glow, a door
opened and I walked it. Inside were all of Youko's treasures, the room
had plants climbing the collums and in the middle was a gold table, I
carried Youko's body over to it, placed him on it and surrounded him
with white roses, his favorite. Before I left I kissed his forehead,
tears slipping from my eyes and on to his silver hair. I shook my my
head it of silly thoughts of sleeping beuties and such. I walked away
from him and shut the door.
I took over Youko's men and I found that I, like Youko, was an
incredible theif, we pillaged everything we could for one year, long
enough for me to turn eighteen in Makai years, in fact, it was on my
eighteenth Makai birthday that it happned, my perfect world finily
crashed down about my ears, my furry little ears.
I ran throught the golden wheat feilds under the light of the riseing
moon, Youko's men were close behind me, I leapt off the ground, into a
building and kept running. I leapt onto the catwalk and ran along it
and paused over a treasure, the treasure I was after, Youko's men
paused behind me as well, I could feel their breaths on the back of my
neck. I whispered. "Okay guys, get ready, as soon as I break the glass
I need you to jump down there." They nodded, Mitsubo, the wolf demon's
eyes had an evil glow about them, he was smirking, but now wasn't the
time for me to scold him. I wrapped my tail around the beam and
dropped down, I plucked a rose from my hair and it grew and expanded
into the Rose Katana, my prized weapon. I chanted spells and broke the
seal around the glass, I slashed the katana and fliped back onto the
beam just as the glass shattered. Youko's men leapt off of the beam
and onto the ground, hordes of gaurd demons came pouring into the
room, they slashed and killed and I leapt down, picked up the golden
septer and slipped it into my pack, I slashed and killed and when I
was done, I stood in the doorway, held my hand over my head and swept
my arm down the hall. "MOVE OUT!" I roared and the men went that way,
I followed and soon took the lead, we rushed out the door and across
the feilds. I turned into my fox form and the followed into their
forms, we rushed under a bush to catch our breaths.
My ears pricked up and I turned my head to see one hundred Rekai
hunters. "Split up." I yipped out in my fox languge and we split and
ran, I raced across feilds, I ran up stream in a river, across fences,
back across my path, over houses, every trick in the book to lose the
hunter on my tail, but he stayed right on my trail. I raced through a
field of tall fragrent grasses, morphing into my Yo-Ko fox demon form,
I burst out onto the other side, only to find myself surrouned by
demon hunters, and standing there with them was Mitsubo, smiling. I
pointed at him, "Mitsubo! I swear on my dying breath I'll come back
and kill you!" I roared out, and the hunters shot me, and fell to the
ground, dead. My soul escaped my body and raced into Ningenkai, the
human world, it went into the body of an unborn child, and there I've
stayed, for fifteen years.
~~~ Mia's POV ~~~
I stood there, mezmerized at what the Yoh-Ko just told me. "I'm sorry Taka-Kai, thats such a sad story." I choked out, tears running down my cheeks. "I know, sometimes I wish Youko Kurama had just killed me." Taka- Kai said sadly. "Taka-Kai, life is worth living, you can't just stand there and say you wish you'd died. You have to live life as it comes at you, I'm sure thats what Youko would want." I told her. She smiled. "Yes, your right, thats how your different than me, your optimistic." She said, voice happy, eyes smiling. "But, Taka-Kai, who was the child your soul went into?" I asked her. Her eyes lit up in an untold secret. "Mia, your the only one who can see me, thats because I'm in your head, and thats because its you, my soul went into. But your mind is dominate over mine, and you never knew I was here..." Her voice trailed away as she faded away, I gasped. I couldn't belive it, I just couldn't belive that my soul was hers, the soul of a demon thief, I smiled. I'd always loved Shuichi Minamino, and now I found out why. My soul and his soul were soulmates.
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So, what did you think of my story? Please R&R. Thank you!
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~~~ Taka-Kai's P.O.V. ~~~
"See that boy? Yes, that one, with the gorgeous blood red hair and enchanting emerald green eyes. Shuichi Minamino, a handsome and perfect human specimen, is he not? I bet you're wondering why I said human. Look at me for your answer. Prussian red hair, mint green eyes, fangs, claws, bushy white tipped Prussian red fox tail, black tipped Prussian red fox ears on the top of my head. I am a Yo-Ko kitsune, a spirit fox demon from Makai, the demon world. Don't worry little one, I won't hurt you. Ha. I bet you wonder why I called you little one, eh? I may look eight-teen but I'm really hundreds of years older. Oh my, we seem to have strayed off subject. Good, he's still there, talking to that human male selling flowers. How sweet, he's buying a rose for his beloved mother. Hmph! It's sickening considering what he used to be. What did he use to be? A Yo-Ko kitsune. A thief. Youko Kurama, the famous Makai thief. Youko was a good leader, I'd tell you of his many exploits but, I'd prefer to tell you a story instead, a story on exactly how a young vixen got mixed up with the best thief the three worlds have ever known."
I was three in Makai years, I still hadn't learned to walk upright, I'd strayed from the other kits and was now running on all fours through a field of wildflowers. I stopped to sniff some and didn't even notice the shadow that darkened the ground suddenly, I didn't even notice the sniffing sounds in my ear. "Hello there." A calm voice from above me said. I jumped and looked up at a boy about five, his hair was long and silver and his tail solid silver and straight, not bushy like my own. I stood up and waved. "Hi hi!" I said smiling my fox smile, my own special smile, a smile that involved my eyes being closed, a happy smile, the smile of a small kit content with the world. He smiled back and I noticed one of his ears flicker, it was solid silver, not two different colors like all the ears I'd seen, I just had to touch it. I reached out and caught his ear in my grasp, it was soft and silky, I giggled as it twitched. Then, he reached out and caught one of my own ears, I felt the muscles in my ears pull, trying to escape his grasp, he laughed. I released his ear and he released mine. "I'm Kurama, Youko Kurama." He said, gold eyes sparkling. "Taka-Kai." I replied, still amazed by everything the new Yo-Ko did. "You like flowers, don't you?" He asked curiously. I nodded enthusiastically and replied. "Yea! Their pretty and make my nose tickle." I giggled the last line. He nodded, knowing what I meant, then pointed behind me. "Look," He said. "A butterfly," I turned my head and watched the large yellow butterfly fly away, I felt someone grab my hand, place something in it then curl my fingers around a slender stem. Curious, I turned my head back around and brought my hand up to my face, in it was a blood red rose, I sniffed it, it smelled really sweet and I closed my eyes still sniffing. "Like it?" Youko's curious voice broke through to me, I opened my eyes and looked at him curiously before it hit me, he'd gave me the rose. I nodded enthusiastically and hugged him. "Love it, thank you," He opened his mouth but then a loud yelping bark rang out, it hit me like a ton of weights. "MOMMA!" I yelled out, let go of Youko and ran off on all fours, well all threes considering the hand with the rose in it was pulled to my chest. I didn't even look back, all I knew was something had happened.
I couldn't have saved them if I'd tried to. Mom and Dad and all my brothers and sisters were killed by a rival kitsune family. Their smells were different but all had the same base sent, wet earth after a heavy rain, the same sent Youko Kurama had, Youko's family killed my own. He was not to blame, he couldn't have know, but, back then I was too young, too loving, too trusting. Youko knew, he knew everything that was going to happen, I wouldn't find out until later years but Youko had been sent to kill me, but he'd instead spared my life. He could have killed my five times over. I was in his debut, that's the worse thing that could have happened to me, being in Youko Kurama's debut.
I was eight in Makai years and had found one thing out in the years
I'd grown up without my family: Its a doggy dog world out there and
you have to steal to survive. I'd become a good thief with a knack for
getting past spells and high security, I had a love for magical items
or anything unusual, such as giant boomerangs. I was coming home to my
den, in fox form, after a hunt and I caught the scent of a dog, not a
dog in that way, but a dog, as in male fox. I padded softly into my
den, I looked in the corner and a silver fox tail was wagging from
under my sheets, I held back a growl and turned into human/fox form
and grabbed the nearest thing, a giant boomerang, and started hitting
the intruder with it, he yelped and ran out the entrance, I put the
boomerang down in the corner and cleaned up my den. I picked up a
blood red rose I'd kept alive only by feeding it my youki, demon
energy, I brought it to my nose and sniffed, then placed it on the
table in the corner.
I saw that strange fox numerous times over the years, but I could
never connect each appearance, to me they were different foxes. I
never could realize that that fox was the same small kit that has
spared my life and given me a rose, but the next time I met hi, was
when I'd figure out who he was. I was thirteen in Makai years.
I was walking through the woods in my human/fox form after a successful hunt, I'd eaten until I was full, hidden my food, and was heading to the hot springs so I could lie on a hot rock. The fur on my body bristled and stood on end, even the hair on my head stood up, giving my hair an even choppier look to it. Maybe I should take this moment to describe what I was wearing, because its the same style of clothes I always wear. Bandages wrapped around the upper half of my body and the lower half of my body, over that a wore white pants that were baggy and closed tightly on the top and bottom on my ankles. I wore a white shirt that was baggy but had no sleeves at all, just closed tightly at the top. Now that that's done, I'll tell you what happened next. Suddenly several different kinds of demons jumped out of the bushes and the fight was on. The next thing I knew all the joints in my body burned in pain and I collapsed, they were standing over me and I was scared, not knowing what they had in mind when, "Stop! Leave her be!" A male voice sounded from out of my line of vision, it was a relief but it still scared me, I'd learned that a male, saving you or not, could still be dangerous. The other demons shrank away and I felt strong arms pick me up, I thrashed and fought back, or at least tried to, the only thing that moved was my tail, I blacked out from the pain of moving.
When I woke up I was lying in a heated cave on fluffy blankets. I heard two male voices talking, one was my savior's voice and the other was strange and unfamiliar. I turned my head and looked at them, they were facing a fire. One had large black bat wings, black hair, a black coat and a black hat on his head, most people would think he was a bat demon, he was chimera. The other wore white clothes similar to mine, only he had sleeves on his shirt that ended on the tops of his shoulder, he had long silver hair, a silky looking solid silver tail and solid silver fox ears perched on the top of his head. The fox smelt familiar, like wet earth after a heavy rain and a field of roses. The chimera smelt nice as well but not familiar, like the fox.
"Kuronue, what are we gonna do with her?" The fox asked. "Isn't it
obvious?" The chimera asked with a perverted tone in his voice.
"Kuronue!" The fox scolded. "Fine, I don't know." Kuronue answered.
The fox sighed and glanced over at me, his eyes were gold and closed
my eyes and pretended to be asleep, but it was too late. "She's
awake." The fox told Kuronue, I opened my eyes and they walked over to
me. The fox started to register in my brain, I knew him, but from
where? "Who are you?" Kuronue asked. "Taka-Kai." I answered, hoping
the fox would recognize me, his eyes widened but instead he said
noting. "I'm Kuronue." Kuronue said. "I'm Kurama, Youko Kurama." Youko
said in the same tone he'd used when I first met him. "YOUKO!" I said
happily and used my tail to push myself off of the ground, the result
was me slamming into Youko in about the same way someone who hadn't
seen a friend in a long time would hug them. Kuronue looked shocked,
but I was too happy, Youko was my friend, and I knew I was safe now.
He hugged me back. "Its nice to see you again too." He said, his voice
right in my ear, he sounded like he meant it too.
And for awhile, I was happy with just knowing my friend was with me
again, so happy I'd forgotten that I was in his debut, but Youko
hadn't forgotten, he never forgot anything, anything at all. The years
flew by faster than they normally did, Youko gathered followers,
fellow thieves that looked up to him for his ability to get past any
trap and any security measure. Youko Kurama, Kuronue and I were the
best of friends, we did our own solo heists together, I was sixteen in
Makai years when my newly found world stared to come spiraling down.
I'd woken up early that morning, stretched, grabbed my clothes and
taken a bath, I'd just gotten back when Youko was discussing the next
solo heist with Kuronue. "Kuronue, tonight we're going after the
mirror." Youko said, he looked a little over confident, but then
again, when you were as good as Youko your ego did tend to grow. "Sure
thing Kurama, we just need to tell T.K. when she gets up!" Kuronue
said, using Youko's and my own nickname. "I'm up, and I know what
we're going after." I said walking into Youko's room and plopping down
next to Kuronue, bringing one knee to my chest, crossing my arms over
it and lying my head down on my arms. "Good, then you already know its
dangerous." Youko said, trying his best to get me riled up, it worked.
"I live for danger Kurama, and you know it." I said smiling my fox
smile, my smile that hid my eyes and the emotion deep within me, it
was a grin, teeth flashed, eyes closed, a smile so unlike the one I'd
smiled when I was three. "Poor T.K., shes become a living Ice Queen."
Kuronue said out loud on purpose. "Kuronue, your talking to yourself
again," Youko said. "You sure you no longer need to see the
psycotrist?" He asked. Kuronue shook his head, I stood up, tail
uncurled and wagging slightly at my own tranquillity, "Besides
Kuronue, I'm an Elemental Queen, not just ice." I said as I walked out
of the cave, the fire in the room that had recently went out flashed
back to life in an instant, as I walked away I heard Kuronue tell
Youko, "Hey Kurama, T.K. lights your fire!" He laughed. I could
imagine Youko staring at him like he'd lost his sanity.
That night Youko crept into my cavern and gently shook me, when that
didn't work he dumped a bucket of icey cold water on my head, I woke
up, slapped him, shooed him out, changed my clothes and went outside.
Youko was standing there trying not to laugh and Kuronue was guffawing
idioticly. I crossed my arms, tapped my foot on the ground, arched an
eyebrow and looked at them both with anger evedent in my eyes. Youko
looked up at me, then at Kuronue, he elbowed him and he stopped
guffawing. "I'm very sorry for Kuronue's behavior Taka-Kai." Youko
said with a smile, damn him, why'd he always have to pull on the charm
when I was supposed to be mad at him? I let out a deep sigh, they both
knew now that Youko's plan had worked. I took half a step forward, and
to this day you have my word as a fox that my foot hadn't even touched
the ground yet and Youko's men woke up and started screeching in pain.
I know my eyes widened in shock, I could tell because Youko put his
hand on my shoulder and said. "It's o.k. T.K., I'm sure the men didn't
get attacked my woman-eating monsters, most likely man-eating
monsters." He said it in a reasurring voice, even though it was a
joke. I nodded. "Well, it looks like we'll have to skip the hiest."
Kuronue said sadly. "T.K., you have extremly good healing powers, why
don't you go check on them? Kuronue and I will go on the hiest and
that way the men will be safe and happy, I mean, you are third in
command, Lieutenant Taka-Kai." Youko said, good humur no longer in his
voice, somehow he'd threw in the ranks we had in his little band of
thieves, and who can disobey an order from the General? I suluted him,
but was steaming inside, I had wanted to go. "Sir yes sir." I mumbled
and slumped off to check on the men.
I'd somehow gotten all the men healed from the killer gerbil attack,
what? You didn't know that Makai was home of the killer gerbils and
gaint chickens (A.N: I took this idea from a story. Damnit, I forgot
who, but I give them credit for this idea.)as well as demons? Well,
now you know. Anywho, I was asleep in bed when I felt Youko's energy,
but just Youko's. I sat up, one thought echoing through my mind:
Kuronue was caught. The tears poured from my eyes as I ran out of the
cavern, only in my nightgown, which earned me cat calls from the
demons lower in rank than I. "Kurama," I said, using Kuronue's name
for him, "Where's Kuronue?" I barely chocked out Kuronue's name. Youko
raised his face up to meet mine, his eyes where misty. "He was killed
T.K., they finiliy took him out, finiliy." His voice trailed off, I
closed my eyes, hardly daring to do what I wanted, but I did it
anyway, I reached out, grabbed Youko and pulled him close, resting my
chin on the top of his head between his ears. "I'm sure that Kuronue
is happy now, demons are already in hell, the only place they can go
is to heaven, and its made of gold, I'm sure Kuronue's basking in the
glory of heaven." I whispered softly, Youko pulled away, stood up
straight and said. "I knew that all along." And he walked off to tell
his men.
Youko stood infront of us tall and proud, normaly I stood next to him,
but he'd made me squeeze in with all the perverts, who were now taking
advantge of my current state of dress, even though my body was fending
off the perverts, my mind, eyes, ears and heart were on Youko Kurama,
standing tall and proud. His hair was brushed until it shone like
satin and silk, it was straight and elegent, just like Youko, his
tunic was pressed and it had been made to wrinkle in certain spots, he
no longer wore the shawl but the rest of his outfit was the same. His
ears were like silver crushed velvet sitting on top of his head, his
skin was washed and scrubed and had the look of soft cream, his tail
was just as silky as his hair and his eyes shone like polished gold.
The perfect image of leadership, and the perfect image of some vixens
fantasies, in the words of Koto, announcer at the Dark Tournament,
when she saw Youko back into his human form: There goes my weekend.
"Kuronue and I went on a hiest by ourselves last night, while we were
escaping Kuronue's pentand fell, he went to get it back and bamboo
fell from the ceiling and killed him, with his last breath he told me
to escape," He said, I could hear his voice tremble. I felt my eyes
swell up with unspilled tears. "I've brought back bamboo seeds, to
honor Kuronue, and to stop me from slautering you for insubordination,
you must carry the seed with you forever." He said, his voice cold and
hard, he motioned to the basket of seeds next to him. And one my one
we walked up, picked up a seed and hid it on our being.
A few years went by and I was seventeen in Makai years, my heart ached
with the still fresh loss of Kuronue, it seemed fresh but it had been
decades, I missed my friend, but as always Youko never forgot
anything, and through all this he remembered the debut I owed him,
twrice, life deubt, innocence debut and a shelter debut. Damn debuts!
But I'd repay them, soon.
"You called me General Youko Kurama?" I asked gently nudging my head
around the corner, if he'd called me in ranks, I'd answer him in
ranks. "T.K., you do know what the Yoh-Ko motto is, don't you?" He
asked me. (A.N.: I burrowed this motto too, but I forgot who owns it.
*sweatdrops*) A shiver went down my spine leaving my tail fur standing
out. "Yes Kurama, I do. 'Quod Disera Obtina.'" I quoted off the tip of
my tounge, he motioned for me to come in so I padded silently over to
him. "Roughly translatted it means 'I Get What I Want.' At first I
wanted to stay with my family, then I wanted to play with the other
kits, then I wanted to see the small vixen I'd met as a child again,
then I wanted all the gold I could get, then I wanted my friend back,
but now, I want that vixen to stay with me and not leave like she did
before." He said it all in one breath, and the last thing he said
raised the fur on my body and made my hair get an even choppier look,
it was sweet, so unlike Youko. "Kurama, I won't leave you, your my
friend." I said back to him, he looked at me with those polished gold
eyes and I felt just like one of the vixens who dreamed about him, I
swallowed hard to get from swooning. "But you already have T.K., your
not the same small vixen you used to be." He said it like it was
obvious, which it was. "I grew up, and besides, your not the same dog
you were." I said plopping down in front of him. "I know, but do you
remember the time you walked out and set the fire in this cavern back
on?" He asked me, color coming back to his paling cheeks. I laughed.
"Yes, and Kuronue said, 'Hey Kurama, T.K. lights your fire!' What
about it?" I asked. He reached forward and took one of my hands in
his. "He was right. It just took me all this time to figure that out."
He said, my eyes softened, "That was so sweet and so unlike you, who
put you in my Kurama's place?" I asked him, not relizing I'd called
him mine, he smiled, obviously catching my mastake. "I am your
Kurama," He said pulling me into a hug, "And your my T.K." He
whispered, voice right in my ear.
Humans are disgustingly vile creatures, I bet your thinking strange
and perverted thoughts in your human brain, eh? Well we didn't do
anything, he kissed my cheek and let me go, something Youko normally
doesn't do. A year pasted, and as I said many times before, Youko
remembered my debuts to him, he'd told me what had happened and said
to repay my debuts to him that I'd have to become his mate, in human
terms his wife, as soon as he completed his goal of having all the
gold in the Makai. Well, I remember saying this before but I'll say it
again, my perfect little thief's life was about to come crashing down
around my furry little ears. And the next pillar that held up the roof
of my reality came crashing down when I was seventeen in Makai years.
I woke up and padded into Youko's chamber, he was sound asleep and
looke positivly innocent, I smiled and gently shook him awake, trust
the Yoh-Ko to wake up at the first touch my my fingers on his skin. He
sat up and smirked at me. "Good morning Lieutenant Taka-Kai." He
laughed out. "G'mornin' Genral Youko Kurama." I said smiling back at
him. "Get into the main cavern, tell the men I'll be in in a few short
minutes." He said, I nodded and walked into the main cavern. Okay
T.K., you have to stand up tall and speak directly to them in ranks, I
told myself. "Okay troops, Genral Youko Kurama said he'd be out in a
few minutes, so you know what that means, he's changing our hiest
schecdule." I annoumced in my best determened voice, I knew he was
changing the schedule because uusaluly he walks in without
intoductuion and tells them to move out. Youko walked in behind me, he
lyed a clawed hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear as he walked
past me. "I'll tell you ahead of time, your staying here," My ear
flickered, whenever Youko told me to stay behind something bad
happened, but I turned my ears, eyes, and heart to Youko once more.
"I've been observing the troops for awhile now, it seems to me that
the hunters from Rekai, the spirit world, are getting closer with
everyday, I've come to the conclusion that theres a traitor amongst
us, I, and I alone," He glanced at me. "Are going on this hiest, your
all going to stay here. I'll be back by sunrise tomorrow, I promise
you that." And with that the perfect vision of Youko Kurama, my love,
turned and left out the cave door.
I woke up the next morning before sunrise, Kurama never broke a
promise, never. I padded softly over the rocks and sat down on a large
rock at the entrance. "Thats strange," I mumbled to myself while
looking outside. "Everything looks muddy brown." And it was true, the
Makai sky was already muddy brown to begin with but now everything was
that color, the rain was coming down so thick I couldn't even see the
line of trees just outside the cave, the ground was so soaked in was
muddy, but everything else was brown, unusual, very unusal.
Hours later I went down to have breakfast, a chicken leg, and then
went outside with my royal blue cloak wrapped around myself. "YOUKO!
YOUKO KURAMA!" I screamed into the wind, I couldn't see anything but I
used my sense of smell to manuver around, I just kept calling out his
name, it was five o' clock when I started crying, and I kept crying
and screaming out his name. I finily went inside, the troops must have
smelt my sadness, because not even they made catcalls at me wearing
soaked clothes.
I barely dragged myself out of bed the next morning, I couldn't bear
the fact Youko broke a promise, and if he broke a promise than
something was wrong. I was sitting on a mat around the low lying maple
table picking the meat our of my bowl of ramen when the messanger came
in. "Excuse me, but who's the higest in rank here? I have a message."
He said, I stood up and faced him. "That would be me." I mumbled out.
"Good, its about General Youko Kurama," He said easily, "He's in the
western lands near the temple of the sun goddess." I nodded and
followed him out, then I took off, the troops seemed curouis and
followed me.
I dashed across the open feilds of grain, my mind was taking in the
scenery, everything was blue today, it was drizzling slightly and the
sky had even taken on a blue hue, I took a deep breath and prepared
myself. The troops followed closely, the other lieutenants flanking
me, because I was aide-de-camp to General Youko Kurama that made me
slightly higer in rank than them, Youko refused to select a colonel,
he didn't want to take Kuronue's place. Then I broke through into a
dry spot where it hadn't rained, strange weather in Makai, it can be
raining on all sides of a lake except over it, there, lying dead was
Youko Kurama. Now before I go into anything else, let me tell you
something, A Yo-Ko's body still stays soft and warm after its been
killed, hell, it doesn't even rot, the only thing thats really wrong
with the body is its lack of soul, breathing and heart beat. I don't
know what came over me really, the next theing I knew I was hugging
Youko tightly to myself crying like there was no tomorrow. I felt
everyone staring at me, mourning in there own way's, but I refused to
let them near Youko, I'd put him somewhere safe, somewhere he'd want
to be, somewhere beutiful.
It was difficult sneaking into Rekai carring a dead body, but I
managed, I snuck into an empty room, pulled out a large ruby that had
a rose carved on it, placed it on the wall and watched it glow, a door
opened and I walked it. Inside were all of Youko's treasures, the room
had plants climbing the collums and in the middle was a gold table, I
carried Youko's body over to it, placed him on it and surrounded him
with white roses, his favorite. Before I left I kissed his forehead,
tears slipping from my eyes and on to his silver hair. I shook my my
head it of silly thoughts of sleeping beuties and such. I walked away
from him and shut the door.
I took over Youko's men and I found that I, like Youko, was an
incredible theif, we pillaged everything we could for one year, long
enough for me to turn eighteen in Makai years, in fact, it was on my
eighteenth Makai birthday that it happned, my perfect world finily
crashed down about my ears, my furry little ears.
I ran throught the golden wheat feilds under the light of the riseing
moon, Youko's men were close behind me, I leapt off the ground, into a
building and kept running. I leapt onto the catwalk and ran along it
and paused over a treasure, the treasure I was after, Youko's men
paused behind me as well, I could feel their breaths on the back of my
neck. I whispered. "Okay guys, get ready, as soon as I break the glass
I need you to jump down there." They nodded, Mitsubo, the wolf demon's
eyes had an evil glow about them, he was smirking, but now wasn't the
time for me to scold him. I wrapped my tail around the beam and
dropped down, I plucked a rose from my hair and it grew and expanded
into the Rose Katana, my prized weapon. I chanted spells and broke the
seal around the glass, I slashed the katana and fliped back onto the
beam just as the glass shattered. Youko's men leapt off of the beam
and onto the ground, hordes of gaurd demons came pouring into the
room, they slashed and killed and I leapt down, picked up the golden
septer and slipped it into my pack, I slashed and killed and when I
was done, I stood in the doorway, held my hand over my head and swept
my arm down the hall. "MOVE OUT!" I roared and the men went that way,
I followed and soon took the lead, we rushed out the door and across
the feilds. I turned into my fox form and the followed into their
forms, we rushed under a bush to catch our breaths.
My ears pricked up and I turned my head to see one hundred Rekai
hunters. "Split up." I yipped out in my fox languge and we split and
ran, I raced across feilds, I ran up stream in a river, across fences,
back across my path, over houses, every trick in the book to lose the
hunter on my tail, but he stayed right on my trail. I raced through a
field of tall fragrent grasses, morphing into my Yo-Ko fox demon form,
I burst out onto the other side, only to find myself surrouned by
demon hunters, and standing there with them was Mitsubo, smiling. I
pointed at him, "Mitsubo! I swear on my dying breath I'll come back
and kill you!" I roared out, and the hunters shot me, and fell to the
ground, dead. My soul escaped my body and raced into Ningenkai, the
human world, it went into the body of an unborn child, and there I've
stayed, for fifteen years.
~~~ Mia's POV ~~~
I stood there, mezmerized at what the Yoh-Ko just told me. "I'm sorry Taka-Kai, thats such a sad story." I choked out, tears running down my cheeks. "I know, sometimes I wish Youko Kurama had just killed me." Taka- Kai said sadly. "Taka-Kai, life is worth living, you can't just stand there and say you wish you'd died. You have to live life as it comes at you, I'm sure thats what Youko would want." I told her. She smiled. "Yes, your right, thats how your different than me, your optimistic." She said, voice happy, eyes smiling. "But, Taka-Kai, who was the child your soul went into?" I asked her. Her eyes lit up in an untold secret. "Mia, your the only one who can see me, thats because I'm in your head, and thats because its you, my soul went into. But your mind is dominate over mine, and you never knew I was here..." Her voice trailed away as she faded away, I gasped. I couldn't belive it, I just couldn't belive that my soul was hers, the soul of a demon thief, I smiled. I'd always loved Shuichi Minamino, and now I found out why. My soul and his soul were soulmates.
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So, what did you think of my story? Please R&R. Thank you!