Many apologizes to the lords (are there many or any at all? I'm not so sure, but it's cool) and ladies of Fanfiction.Net. I'm really sorry for not updating sooner. "Things" got in the way... I've been doing that too much lately. Too many quotation marks. Well, like my Physics teacher said, "you can't have too much emphasis on the quotation marks..." Whatever that means... Anyways, read on! (^_^)
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and company belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz and company.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If ever we should be apart from the other, turn this ring on your finger over three times and say my name. I will know that you are thinking of me..."
He gave me the ring, it was a little too big for my fingers, being that I was only about four or five years and he was older, how much older I did not know, but he was older than me. I smiled at him and took off the pendant from around my neck. On it was a crescent moon shaped sapphire that slightly resembled his own crescent shaped moon on his forehead... It had belonged to my mother and I... I gave it to him, slightly relieved that it was gone and not. He placed it around his neck as I put a piece of string through the ring and placed it around my own neck as well. Uncle was going to be angry with me that I no longer had my pendant because I "lost" it.
"It's too big for my fingers! So I'll wait till I'm big to wear it!" I smiled at him.
His face was soft and happy. I was so glad that I made him happy... but I would have to leave soon. Would he be unhappy when I'm gone?...
**************************************************************
Chapter Twenty-Four
~~~Rune's POV~~~
My hands were reluctantly flat up against the wall behind me. I stayed close to the wall as much as possible to hide myself in the dark night. The wind brushed against my face, sending my hair dancing untamed in my face and sending chills down my spine. I didn't want to touch the wall anymore. It was cold. Dead cold. I could feel everything around me was tainted with evil's devilish touch. This couldn't be the same place where Megumi snuck in posing as a maid and fell in love with her boyfriend, it was just... the atmosphere was too wrong.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
I dodged behind a large pillar near the railing and crouched down, hoping that they, whoever it was, didn't see me. Two armed demon guards passed by me, taking no notice of me by which, I was really grateful for their ignorance. With spears in their claws and mean, ugly looks on their faces, they reeked of don't-touch-me-or-you'll-get-it. As soon as they passed me and was far enough not to see me from the corner of their eyes, I circled around to the other side of the pillar as silently as I could.
Suddenly, one of the two grunted and their footsteps stopped, which was then followed by sniffing.
"What zit?" asked one.
'Or not...'
The voice was almost like hissing and crackly. It made me feel like jumping out of my skin. I held my breath, not even daring to exhale should they hear me.
"...Nothing... Me smell human maybe... But only nothing, no human..." spoke the other.
"I killz humanz today," replied the other, "Maybe itz ze humanz blood still on me..."
The other one grunted and they continued on. I waited until their footsteps faded away and the only noise I could hear was the wind and rustling of the trees. I finally exhaled. That was a closed one! It was a good thing that I put demon repellent on me.
After a few more minutes, I continued on. I didn't know where Ser was, but I went to every room that had a light on because that was the only indication that he gave me during one of our meetings...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flashback...
"I thought I told you to stay away from me," I told him.
I had taken a "walk" to clear my mind from the hardships of that day and had "bumped" into Ser in the area where we last met.
He chuckled a little with a small childish smile, "Yes, but it's funny, you know? I told myself that too, but... I can't stay away Rune. I need you to tell me of things because you're the only one-"
I snapped at him, "Hey! I don't care what you think of me! Just... just let me be..."
I started to walk past him, but he grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. I turned to him, ready to scream like a wild animal, but something stopped me. My eyes went wide and my heart stopped for a second, just that, just one second before I realized... before I realized that he wasn't Case.
"We're not done yet, Rune!" he said to me with fire dancing around in his eyes.
He tightened his hold on me. He was angry... but he seemed kind of scared too.
'Just like Case when he was angry...'
My eyes fell first as my head followed. I didn't want to see him, he reminded me too much of Case.
"Let me go," I said, my eyes on the edge of tears and my voice on the edge of breaking.
"No! I can't let you go Rune! You're important to me!" he told me.
My head shot up to see him. That fire was gone, now there was only sadness and... longing? For what?
"Important!? How!? You're my enemy and I... I don't even know you!" I shouted at him, angry at his outburst.
He looked stunned for a moment and his grip loosened. I took the chance to tear out of his grasp.
"Let me wallow in my own sadness. I have no need of you though, so don't go spouting out that I'm important to you so you can keep me," I told him, holding back on a hiccup and the waterworks.
I turned around and started to walk. He made no move to follow me, but what he said stopped me.
"At night..." he started and I stopped.
"At night," he continued again, "it's dark. I can't sleep so I leave the candles burning until I fall asleep, but I can't sleep in peace... Nightmares plague me and I wake up in cold sweat in the middle of the night, unable and unwillingly to return to sleep... But if I think of you, I don't know... Just thinking about you makes me fall asleep easier... and the nightmares... they go away... You... you're the only one that can...can make me feel safe and... and..."
I turned around to face him. His eyes were on me the whole time. I walked up to him and stood before him. We just stared at each other for a while. No thoughts passed my mind as my hand rose up and rested itself on his cheek. His eyes closed for a second and opened again. I could see that he was desperate, but not for a bad cause. He wanted me to stay.
'He's lonely...'
Finally, I found my voice.
"I will stay with you..."
'At least for a while anyway...'
He nodded and we embraced each other. Tears fell from my eyes as we held each other, comforting each other in silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back to the Present...
I was lost... While deep in my thoughts, I must have made a bad turn because I was no longer near the bedrooms.
'Damn!'
Suddenly, I heard voices behind me and I hid behind a wall. Several groups of about four to six demons were heading to where I was.
Shit! Where was I going to hide now?
I started to walk backwards, but realized that there was no more room to step back. I stopped before I fell off the edge. I looked over and saw a big house that sort of resembled a barn, but was very far down. It looked so rickety and in such a poor condition that even a bird would fall in.
'Damn! Trapped! Well, I'll have to go down fighting then...'
I took a small step back to be ready to draw my sword the moment they would arrive, but a small rock got in the way. I then found myself falling down, over the edge and thinking that it was the end for me. I closed my eyes as the wind passed by beneath me. I felt the collision with the roof and still, I went down... right into a pile of... well, something soft and fluffy, but my impact into the ground was better than I thought. I opened my eyes to nothing but darkness, not even a single visible thing but who cares!? I thanked all the gods that they helped cushion my fall and that I was still alive!
"What was that!?" shouted a demon.
"It came from this way!" another shouted.
'Damn! I have to get away!'
I tried to move, but was stuck.
'DAMMIT!!!! I'M GONNA DIE HERE!!!!'
Suddenly, something roared really loudly that told the demons outside to back off and run. As the roar faded away, something huge was coming towards me. The place was huge, but very dark yet I could tell that who or whatever was coming my way didn't intend on stopping. Its breathing was deep and long, but heavy. What was it?
I hurried to get up and face the incoming creature. The moment I managed to get up, the thing was right before me and exhaled in my face. Its breath was hot and wet. My whole face scrunched up, my eyes closed and my hands were clenched at my sides.
When it finished, I opened one eye and could see that whatever it was that was before me was even larger than I thought, but had no intention of killing me. I reached inside a pouch at my side and took out a nightlight that I bought from some merchants a while back. I broke it and it suddenly lit up all the places in the room that could be reached by its light.
I held my breath at what stood before me.
"Raph!" I exclaimed.
It was Ser's dragon. He seemed quite happy to see me and nuzzled itself underneath my outstretched hand. Throughout all the times we met up, I got to be closer to Ser and Raph, who, for some odd reason, had taking an immediate liking to me.
"Boy, am I glad to see you! I got lost... trying to find Ser's room," I told it, "Can you tell me where I can find him?"
Raph closed its eyes and nodded.
"Oh thank you Raph!" I smiled a little.
It seemed to smile back at me.
It turned around and saw several blankets and pillows that broke my fall.
'Did I... fall on that?'
"Raph? Why are there all these pillows and blankets here?" I asked it.
Its head went up and down a bit.
Ser? Is he talking about..? Oh...
"Ser comes here to sleep sometimes... doesn't he?" I said.
It nodded its head.
"Ser..."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Raph flew me to another part of the castle, which was farther away, but still in the castle (it was a really, REALLY big castle) grounds. None of the demons seemed to have suspected anything. Maybe it was because they feared Raph and knew not to bother it when its master called for it? Oh well, whatever the case, I got a free ride to Ser's room. As Raph descended, I realized that it was heading towards a huge balcony and the room it came from still had a faint glow. Raph then landed on the wide and spacious balcony. It was probably meant for Ser to get easy access to Raph when he needed Raph right away or something.
I bid Raph a good night as it flew back to its barn. I took in several deep breaths and walked to the glass door that blocked off Ser from me. I pushed aside the door and after I entered, return it back to its closed position. The first thing I noticed about the room was that it had a sweet and spicy aroma in the air that made me feel a little drowsy. Then I saw how large and tidy his room was. Although it was spacious, it was kind of empty save for the bed, several chairs and a table. I observed his room a little more and when my eyes crossed the king-size bed with the closed see-through drapes, it stayed there.
He was lying on his side with his back towards me. I smiled and went to the side of the bed in front of the clear drapes. I could see a little bit of his face. His eyes were closed and he... he looked like a small child, almost innocent. He reminded me so much of Case and I hoped to the gods that he was Case. Every time we saw each other, he made little remarks and gestures that were very similar to Case.
'Case... I know it's you... Please don't hide from me... don't turn me away... I miss you so much... Please...'
I pushed the drapes aside and sat down on the bed behind him. He looked so... perfect that I didn't want to wake him. A part of me said that he wasn't Case and that I should leave him be, but... the other part told me that it was he... That one was the loudest and put reason and everything else behind.
"Ca-" I started to say but stopped.
He started to move a little and turned to lie on his back, revealing his whole face and his bare chest to me. I examined his face and chest. It was flawless, perfect like a porcelain doll. My hand automatically went to his face and traced along his jaw line just as I had done to Case so long ago. Then it went lower to his chin, down to his neck and to his chest where it rested. My hands wandered around his chest for a while, feeling every groove and the smoothness of it like I... just as I had done to Case long ago...
I traced around his manly chest and nipples (AN: No, it's not a hentai ok? Well, maybe a little, but she's just doing this because she loves Case so much and Ser reminds her a lot of Case. Yes, she did used to do this to Case when he was still around. Hey, what do you think they did in those two years besides farming? Well, it's yours to imagine or not if they did-ah, just let me get back to the story! ;p) I rested my head on his chest and placed my ear over his heart. I was like that for several minutes listening to his heartbeats, counting each and every one of them and his breathing. It calmed me to hear his heart and his breathing. It was like back then, I would always do this with him.
Tears flowed from my eyes. It was somewhat different from Case, but I could tell that it was him. A woman must know things about her man. I got up and looked at his face. My hand then went back up to his lips. I traced across it with my thumb. For some reason, I bent down and my lips touched his lightly.
He seemed to be at peace, so serene-like that I didn't want to ruin it for him. I decided to leave then, but as I pulled away, a tear fell and hit his face. I gasped as his eyes shot open and he somehow grabbed me and threw me underneath him in a flash. He seemed kind of angry, but was alert. He didn't know that it was me, but once he took a good look at me, his face calmed down and was left with surprise.
"Rune? What are you doing here?" he asked me as his grasp loosened and held me up to a sitting position.
I just couldn't stop the tears from flowing.
"Rune?"
I then threw my arms around him and buried my head in the crook of his neck. He was confused, I was sure of that and I was a little confused myself. What did I just do and get myself into?
His arms closed around me and held me in a protective and comforting hug.
"It's ok, it's ok..." he whispered repeatedly to me.
The tears slowed down, but didn't stop. I held onto him tighter, but he didn't seem to mind. When I calmed down, he finally spoke.
"Rune, why are you here? It's dangerous for you to even be here," he told me.
I sniffled and leaned back to look at him, "Because... I love you... I've always loved you... right from the start."
His arms that had wrapped around me slid away to hold my hands. He seemed a little confused and strangely enough, he didn't seem disappointed by that.
"You... love me?" he hesitantly asked.
A tear slid down my cheek as I nodded at him, but his face fell a little. He sounded sad.
"No you don't. You're still in love with your former dead lover."
"Yes, that's true, but-"
"Then you really don't love me."
"No! I do love you and always have! I love you because you ARE Case!"
He seemed a little irritated, but confused nonetheless. He almost seemed to be saying to me, "Lady, I think you've had one too many drinks!"
"Rune, I'm not your... I'm not him," his disappointed voice managed to say.
I shook my head, "No, you ARE Case! Each time we met, I could feel him, feel you Case! Your gestures, your words... Your lips! I remember your warmth Case, you can't forget all those nights-"
His hands went to my shoulders and he looked me in the eyes, "Rune. I know that you are still mourning for him, but don't... don't do this to me-to yourself. He's gone, you can't make me replace him!"
He was hurting, I know he was, but... I knew that it was him. It just had to be!
"Case-" I started, but he cut me off.
"Rune, my name is Ser, human partner to the dragon Raph, loyal servant of my Lord Naraku, last and only surviving member of the Dragon Clan and someone who has fallen in love with his enemy, with you," he said.
My eyes widened a little.
"Yes Rune, I've fallen in love with you, but... I can't accept your love for me if... If you only see Case and... not me..."
"But... You are Case! Here, I'll prove it to you!" said I.
I opened the front of my shirt and he turned his head away from my...bareness. I reached frantically in my inner shirt and pulled out a chain around my neck. On it was two rings. It clinked together, making Ser return his gaze back to me, then to the rings. Ser seemed in awe of them, almost reminiscent.
"This ring, the bigger one, you gave it to me! Remember? You told me to wear it and never take it off! That's how you found out that I was Crimson Moon!"
Ser seemed almost, just almost as if he knew what I was talking about and I went on.
"I was supposed to kill you, but you showed yourself to me that you, Shade, the Dragon Knight was in fact Case. My master found out and you-you led us to the clan of the Magiks, but my master killed them all. Then we went to your clan to gain the fusion technique. You mastered the technique right after you acquired it, but my former master killed off your people also. That's why you're the only remaining survivor left of the Dragon Clan!"
He seemed lost in thought now with his hands on his head. He looked almost as if he was in pain. His eyes were squeezed shut and his teeth were clenched.
"I... I can... I can almost feel it there... Rune! I can almost see it!... but, I can't remember it!" he said, struggling still to see the memories.
"Case! Case! Yes, try to remember! Those last four years were kind to us. It was peaceful and life was good to us, remember? We were going to try to have a family with lots and lots of kids!" I tried, but began to break down.
Tears came to my eyes in frustration and anticipation.
"Rune, I can feel it, but I... I just can't remember anything!" he yelled in frustration.
He seemed to be in pain.
'Maybe that's why he can't remember. Whoever it was that made him forget wanted him to forget and if he tried to remember, it would cause him pain!'
His head fell into my lap as a couple of tears fell down his cheeks. My hands went to stroke his hair. He began to calm down as I began to as well.
"Case, it's ok... It's ok..." I said soothingly to him, "You know you have those memories at least..."
He then sat up and pulled me into a deep embrace. He buried his face into my hair.
"I know now Rune. I can't remember, but I can feel it. I can feel those memories and you. When I first saw you, I had strange feelings towards you, but I couldn't understand why. Now I understand. Rune, I love you, I love you so much!" he told me.
I was...ecstatic! So what if he couldn't remember?! We could make new memories together!
I fell deeper into his embrace, but he pushed me back a bit.
"Wha-" I started to say, but he closed his lips over mine.
All other thoughts disappeared as both of us fell down on his bed and held each other close as we both drifted off to sleep.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
"What's taking her so long?!" sighed Megumi for the umpteenth time.
"I have no clue why and it's going to be dawn soon!" stated I, Captain Obvious.
Megumi turned looked at me with a worried look, "You don't think she... got caught, do you?"
I was worried too, "Let's hope not Megumi... but if she did... Be ready..."
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
I awoke in his arms, in his warm embrace and I didn't want to leave it... but I had to do something... What was it?
Just as I tried to get up, his arms kept me down and pulled me closer. I looked up at his handsome face from my own view of his breath-taking and extraordinary chiseled out chest. (AN: Hey, a girl can dream, can't she? (^_-)) I giggled as his now awake eyes twinkled with loving emotions and his mouth in a bad boy smirk. He seemed to have been thinking of... not-too safe, but dirty thoughts.
"I thought you were still asleep!" I giggled.
He smirked again, "I was, until you woke me up and made me want to do this..."
He leaned in close and softly kissed my lips. I loved the feel of his lips on mine. I felt almost like a little girl again.
'Wait till I tell the girls about this-'
Then my thoughts suddenly focused in on the other two.
'SHIT!!! It's almost dawn-hell! -it is dawn! I have to go!'
I broke away from the kiss, explained my situation quickly to Ser- no, to Case, kissed him deeply one last time and ran off to the front. Riding on Raph's back gave me an opportunity to see the area, the surroundings and the way back to where I left the other two. I just hoped that they weren't going to barge in through the front.
'Please wait a while longer you guys!! Please! Please! PLEASE!!!!'
I ran with all my might and sneakiness to get there as quick as possible, but unfortunately, fate had other plans.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I looked at Megumi. The sun had risen and no sign of Rune. Which meant... She had been taken away.
"You ready?" I asked her.
She nodded.
She looked a little out of it lately. Something was holding her back, but she always pushed herself on.
I sighed and pulled out my sword as Megumi pulled out her two blades, which she was famous for.
'I didn't want this to happen and uncle, you will be pissed off at me, but I'm sorry... I'm not a good leader...'
"You ready?" she asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I nodded and sighed again.
"Let's go."
So we busted in through the front doors avoiding as many arrows and spells thrown at us. I slashed my sword at a demon's bare throat.
"Out of my way! I have a friend to save!" I shouted with complete insanity and anger.
*****************************************************************
This is it for now so have fun and see you next chapter! (^_^)
(AN: No lemon stuff for those of you who are horny. I don't know how to write lemons nor can I write any of that "he caressed her jewel" stuff. So don't expect anything like that. Sorries, but it ain't me.)
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and company belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz and company.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If ever we should be apart from the other, turn this ring on your finger over three times and say my name. I will know that you are thinking of me..."
He gave me the ring, it was a little too big for my fingers, being that I was only about four or five years and he was older, how much older I did not know, but he was older than me. I smiled at him and took off the pendant from around my neck. On it was a crescent moon shaped sapphire that slightly resembled his own crescent shaped moon on his forehead... It had belonged to my mother and I... I gave it to him, slightly relieved that it was gone and not. He placed it around his neck as I put a piece of string through the ring and placed it around my own neck as well. Uncle was going to be angry with me that I no longer had my pendant because I "lost" it.
"It's too big for my fingers! So I'll wait till I'm big to wear it!" I smiled at him.
His face was soft and happy. I was so glad that I made him happy... but I would have to leave soon. Would he be unhappy when I'm gone?...
**************************************************************
Chapter Twenty-Four
~~~Rune's POV~~~
My hands were reluctantly flat up against the wall behind me. I stayed close to the wall as much as possible to hide myself in the dark night. The wind brushed against my face, sending my hair dancing untamed in my face and sending chills down my spine. I didn't want to touch the wall anymore. It was cold. Dead cold. I could feel everything around me was tainted with evil's devilish touch. This couldn't be the same place where Megumi snuck in posing as a maid and fell in love with her boyfriend, it was just... the atmosphere was too wrong.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
I dodged behind a large pillar near the railing and crouched down, hoping that they, whoever it was, didn't see me. Two armed demon guards passed by me, taking no notice of me by which, I was really grateful for their ignorance. With spears in their claws and mean, ugly looks on their faces, they reeked of don't-touch-me-or-you'll-get-it. As soon as they passed me and was far enough not to see me from the corner of their eyes, I circled around to the other side of the pillar as silently as I could.
Suddenly, one of the two grunted and their footsteps stopped, which was then followed by sniffing.
"What zit?" asked one.
'Or not...'
The voice was almost like hissing and crackly. It made me feel like jumping out of my skin. I held my breath, not even daring to exhale should they hear me.
"...Nothing... Me smell human maybe... But only nothing, no human..." spoke the other.
"I killz humanz today," replied the other, "Maybe itz ze humanz blood still on me..."
The other one grunted and they continued on. I waited until their footsteps faded away and the only noise I could hear was the wind and rustling of the trees. I finally exhaled. That was a closed one! It was a good thing that I put demon repellent on me.
After a few more minutes, I continued on. I didn't know where Ser was, but I went to every room that had a light on because that was the only indication that he gave me during one of our meetings...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flashback...
"I thought I told you to stay away from me," I told him.
I had taken a "walk" to clear my mind from the hardships of that day and had "bumped" into Ser in the area where we last met.
He chuckled a little with a small childish smile, "Yes, but it's funny, you know? I told myself that too, but... I can't stay away Rune. I need you to tell me of things because you're the only one-"
I snapped at him, "Hey! I don't care what you think of me! Just... just let me be..."
I started to walk past him, but he grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. I turned to him, ready to scream like a wild animal, but something stopped me. My eyes went wide and my heart stopped for a second, just that, just one second before I realized... before I realized that he wasn't Case.
"We're not done yet, Rune!" he said to me with fire dancing around in his eyes.
He tightened his hold on me. He was angry... but he seemed kind of scared too.
'Just like Case when he was angry...'
My eyes fell first as my head followed. I didn't want to see him, he reminded me too much of Case.
"Let me go," I said, my eyes on the edge of tears and my voice on the edge of breaking.
"No! I can't let you go Rune! You're important to me!" he told me.
My head shot up to see him. That fire was gone, now there was only sadness and... longing? For what?
"Important!? How!? You're my enemy and I... I don't even know you!" I shouted at him, angry at his outburst.
He looked stunned for a moment and his grip loosened. I took the chance to tear out of his grasp.
"Let me wallow in my own sadness. I have no need of you though, so don't go spouting out that I'm important to you so you can keep me," I told him, holding back on a hiccup and the waterworks.
I turned around and started to walk. He made no move to follow me, but what he said stopped me.
"At night..." he started and I stopped.
"At night," he continued again, "it's dark. I can't sleep so I leave the candles burning until I fall asleep, but I can't sleep in peace... Nightmares plague me and I wake up in cold sweat in the middle of the night, unable and unwillingly to return to sleep... But if I think of you, I don't know... Just thinking about you makes me fall asleep easier... and the nightmares... they go away... You... you're the only one that can...can make me feel safe and... and..."
I turned around to face him. His eyes were on me the whole time. I walked up to him and stood before him. We just stared at each other for a while. No thoughts passed my mind as my hand rose up and rested itself on his cheek. His eyes closed for a second and opened again. I could see that he was desperate, but not for a bad cause. He wanted me to stay.
'He's lonely...'
Finally, I found my voice.
"I will stay with you..."
'At least for a while anyway...'
He nodded and we embraced each other. Tears fell from my eyes as we held each other, comforting each other in silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back to the Present...
I was lost... While deep in my thoughts, I must have made a bad turn because I was no longer near the bedrooms.
'Damn!'
Suddenly, I heard voices behind me and I hid behind a wall. Several groups of about four to six demons were heading to where I was.
Shit! Where was I going to hide now?
I started to walk backwards, but realized that there was no more room to step back. I stopped before I fell off the edge. I looked over and saw a big house that sort of resembled a barn, but was very far down. It looked so rickety and in such a poor condition that even a bird would fall in.
'Damn! Trapped! Well, I'll have to go down fighting then...'
I took a small step back to be ready to draw my sword the moment they would arrive, but a small rock got in the way. I then found myself falling down, over the edge and thinking that it was the end for me. I closed my eyes as the wind passed by beneath me. I felt the collision with the roof and still, I went down... right into a pile of... well, something soft and fluffy, but my impact into the ground was better than I thought. I opened my eyes to nothing but darkness, not even a single visible thing but who cares!? I thanked all the gods that they helped cushion my fall and that I was still alive!
"What was that!?" shouted a demon.
"It came from this way!" another shouted.
'Damn! I have to get away!'
I tried to move, but was stuck.
'DAMMIT!!!! I'M GONNA DIE HERE!!!!'
Suddenly, something roared really loudly that told the demons outside to back off and run. As the roar faded away, something huge was coming towards me. The place was huge, but very dark yet I could tell that who or whatever was coming my way didn't intend on stopping. Its breathing was deep and long, but heavy. What was it?
I hurried to get up and face the incoming creature. The moment I managed to get up, the thing was right before me and exhaled in my face. Its breath was hot and wet. My whole face scrunched up, my eyes closed and my hands were clenched at my sides.
When it finished, I opened one eye and could see that whatever it was that was before me was even larger than I thought, but had no intention of killing me. I reached inside a pouch at my side and took out a nightlight that I bought from some merchants a while back. I broke it and it suddenly lit up all the places in the room that could be reached by its light.
I held my breath at what stood before me.
"Raph!" I exclaimed.
It was Ser's dragon. He seemed quite happy to see me and nuzzled itself underneath my outstretched hand. Throughout all the times we met up, I got to be closer to Ser and Raph, who, for some odd reason, had taking an immediate liking to me.
"Boy, am I glad to see you! I got lost... trying to find Ser's room," I told it, "Can you tell me where I can find him?"
Raph closed its eyes and nodded.
"Oh thank you Raph!" I smiled a little.
It seemed to smile back at me.
It turned around and saw several blankets and pillows that broke my fall.
'Did I... fall on that?'
"Raph? Why are there all these pillows and blankets here?" I asked it.
Its head went up and down a bit.
Ser? Is he talking about..? Oh...
"Ser comes here to sleep sometimes... doesn't he?" I said.
It nodded its head.
"Ser..."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Raph flew me to another part of the castle, which was farther away, but still in the castle (it was a really, REALLY big castle) grounds. None of the demons seemed to have suspected anything. Maybe it was because they feared Raph and knew not to bother it when its master called for it? Oh well, whatever the case, I got a free ride to Ser's room. As Raph descended, I realized that it was heading towards a huge balcony and the room it came from still had a faint glow. Raph then landed on the wide and spacious balcony. It was probably meant for Ser to get easy access to Raph when he needed Raph right away or something.
I bid Raph a good night as it flew back to its barn. I took in several deep breaths and walked to the glass door that blocked off Ser from me. I pushed aside the door and after I entered, return it back to its closed position. The first thing I noticed about the room was that it had a sweet and spicy aroma in the air that made me feel a little drowsy. Then I saw how large and tidy his room was. Although it was spacious, it was kind of empty save for the bed, several chairs and a table. I observed his room a little more and when my eyes crossed the king-size bed with the closed see-through drapes, it stayed there.
He was lying on his side with his back towards me. I smiled and went to the side of the bed in front of the clear drapes. I could see a little bit of his face. His eyes were closed and he... he looked like a small child, almost innocent. He reminded me so much of Case and I hoped to the gods that he was Case. Every time we saw each other, he made little remarks and gestures that were very similar to Case.
'Case... I know it's you... Please don't hide from me... don't turn me away... I miss you so much... Please...'
I pushed the drapes aside and sat down on the bed behind him. He looked so... perfect that I didn't want to wake him. A part of me said that he wasn't Case and that I should leave him be, but... the other part told me that it was he... That one was the loudest and put reason and everything else behind.
"Ca-" I started to say but stopped.
He started to move a little and turned to lie on his back, revealing his whole face and his bare chest to me. I examined his face and chest. It was flawless, perfect like a porcelain doll. My hand automatically went to his face and traced along his jaw line just as I had done to Case so long ago. Then it went lower to his chin, down to his neck and to his chest where it rested. My hands wandered around his chest for a while, feeling every groove and the smoothness of it like I... just as I had done to Case long ago...
I traced around his manly chest and nipples (AN: No, it's not a hentai ok? Well, maybe a little, but she's just doing this because she loves Case so much and Ser reminds her a lot of Case. Yes, she did used to do this to Case when he was still around. Hey, what do you think they did in those two years besides farming? Well, it's yours to imagine or not if they did-ah, just let me get back to the story! ;p) I rested my head on his chest and placed my ear over his heart. I was like that for several minutes listening to his heartbeats, counting each and every one of them and his breathing. It calmed me to hear his heart and his breathing. It was like back then, I would always do this with him.
Tears flowed from my eyes. It was somewhat different from Case, but I could tell that it was him. A woman must know things about her man. I got up and looked at his face. My hand then went back up to his lips. I traced across it with my thumb. For some reason, I bent down and my lips touched his lightly.
He seemed to be at peace, so serene-like that I didn't want to ruin it for him. I decided to leave then, but as I pulled away, a tear fell and hit his face. I gasped as his eyes shot open and he somehow grabbed me and threw me underneath him in a flash. He seemed kind of angry, but was alert. He didn't know that it was me, but once he took a good look at me, his face calmed down and was left with surprise.
"Rune? What are you doing here?" he asked me as his grasp loosened and held me up to a sitting position.
I just couldn't stop the tears from flowing.
"Rune?"
I then threw my arms around him and buried my head in the crook of his neck. He was confused, I was sure of that and I was a little confused myself. What did I just do and get myself into?
His arms closed around me and held me in a protective and comforting hug.
"It's ok, it's ok..." he whispered repeatedly to me.
The tears slowed down, but didn't stop. I held onto him tighter, but he didn't seem to mind. When I calmed down, he finally spoke.
"Rune, why are you here? It's dangerous for you to even be here," he told me.
I sniffled and leaned back to look at him, "Because... I love you... I've always loved you... right from the start."
His arms that had wrapped around me slid away to hold my hands. He seemed a little confused and strangely enough, he didn't seem disappointed by that.
"You... love me?" he hesitantly asked.
A tear slid down my cheek as I nodded at him, but his face fell a little. He sounded sad.
"No you don't. You're still in love with your former dead lover."
"Yes, that's true, but-"
"Then you really don't love me."
"No! I do love you and always have! I love you because you ARE Case!"
He seemed a little irritated, but confused nonetheless. He almost seemed to be saying to me, "Lady, I think you've had one too many drinks!"
"Rune, I'm not your... I'm not him," his disappointed voice managed to say.
I shook my head, "No, you ARE Case! Each time we met, I could feel him, feel you Case! Your gestures, your words... Your lips! I remember your warmth Case, you can't forget all those nights-"
His hands went to my shoulders and he looked me in the eyes, "Rune. I know that you are still mourning for him, but don't... don't do this to me-to yourself. He's gone, you can't make me replace him!"
He was hurting, I know he was, but... I knew that it was him. It just had to be!
"Case-" I started, but he cut me off.
"Rune, my name is Ser, human partner to the dragon Raph, loyal servant of my Lord Naraku, last and only surviving member of the Dragon Clan and someone who has fallen in love with his enemy, with you," he said.
My eyes widened a little.
"Yes Rune, I've fallen in love with you, but... I can't accept your love for me if... If you only see Case and... not me..."
"But... You are Case! Here, I'll prove it to you!" said I.
I opened the front of my shirt and he turned his head away from my...bareness. I reached frantically in my inner shirt and pulled out a chain around my neck. On it was two rings. It clinked together, making Ser return his gaze back to me, then to the rings. Ser seemed in awe of them, almost reminiscent.
"This ring, the bigger one, you gave it to me! Remember? You told me to wear it and never take it off! That's how you found out that I was Crimson Moon!"
Ser seemed almost, just almost as if he knew what I was talking about and I went on.
"I was supposed to kill you, but you showed yourself to me that you, Shade, the Dragon Knight was in fact Case. My master found out and you-you led us to the clan of the Magiks, but my master killed them all. Then we went to your clan to gain the fusion technique. You mastered the technique right after you acquired it, but my former master killed off your people also. That's why you're the only remaining survivor left of the Dragon Clan!"
He seemed lost in thought now with his hands on his head. He looked almost as if he was in pain. His eyes were squeezed shut and his teeth were clenched.
"I... I can... I can almost feel it there... Rune! I can almost see it!... but, I can't remember it!" he said, struggling still to see the memories.
"Case! Case! Yes, try to remember! Those last four years were kind to us. It was peaceful and life was good to us, remember? We were going to try to have a family with lots and lots of kids!" I tried, but began to break down.
Tears came to my eyes in frustration and anticipation.
"Rune, I can feel it, but I... I just can't remember anything!" he yelled in frustration.
He seemed to be in pain.
'Maybe that's why he can't remember. Whoever it was that made him forget wanted him to forget and if he tried to remember, it would cause him pain!'
His head fell into my lap as a couple of tears fell down his cheeks. My hands went to stroke his hair. He began to calm down as I began to as well.
"Case, it's ok... It's ok..." I said soothingly to him, "You know you have those memories at least..."
He then sat up and pulled me into a deep embrace. He buried his face into my hair.
"I know now Rune. I can't remember, but I can feel it. I can feel those memories and you. When I first saw you, I had strange feelings towards you, but I couldn't understand why. Now I understand. Rune, I love you, I love you so much!" he told me.
I was...ecstatic! So what if he couldn't remember?! We could make new memories together!
I fell deeper into his embrace, but he pushed me back a bit.
"Wha-" I started to say, but he closed his lips over mine.
All other thoughts disappeared as both of us fell down on his bed and held each other close as we both drifted off to sleep.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
"What's taking her so long?!" sighed Megumi for the umpteenth time.
"I have no clue why and it's going to be dawn soon!" stated I, Captain Obvious.
Megumi turned looked at me with a worried look, "You don't think she... got caught, do you?"
I was worried too, "Let's hope not Megumi... but if she did... Be ready..."
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
I awoke in his arms, in his warm embrace and I didn't want to leave it... but I had to do something... What was it?
Just as I tried to get up, his arms kept me down and pulled me closer. I looked up at his handsome face from my own view of his breath-taking and extraordinary chiseled out chest. (AN: Hey, a girl can dream, can't she? (^_-)) I giggled as his now awake eyes twinkled with loving emotions and his mouth in a bad boy smirk. He seemed to have been thinking of... not-too safe, but dirty thoughts.
"I thought you were still asleep!" I giggled.
He smirked again, "I was, until you woke me up and made me want to do this..."
He leaned in close and softly kissed my lips. I loved the feel of his lips on mine. I felt almost like a little girl again.
'Wait till I tell the girls about this-'
Then my thoughts suddenly focused in on the other two.
'SHIT!!! It's almost dawn-hell! -it is dawn! I have to go!'
I broke away from the kiss, explained my situation quickly to Ser- no, to Case, kissed him deeply one last time and ran off to the front. Riding on Raph's back gave me an opportunity to see the area, the surroundings and the way back to where I left the other two. I just hoped that they weren't going to barge in through the front.
'Please wait a while longer you guys!! Please! Please! PLEASE!!!!'
I ran with all my might and sneakiness to get there as quick as possible, but unfortunately, fate had other plans.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I looked at Megumi. The sun had risen and no sign of Rune. Which meant... She had been taken away.
"You ready?" I asked her.
She nodded.
She looked a little out of it lately. Something was holding her back, but she always pushed herself on.
I sighed and pulled out my sword as Megumi pulled out her two blades, which she was famous for.
'I didn't want this to happen and uncle, you will be pissed off at me, but I'm sorry... I'm not a good leader...'
"You ready?" she asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I nodded and sighed again.
"Let's go."
So we busted in through the front doors avoiding as many arrows and spells thrown at us. I slashed my sword at a demon's bare throat.
"Out of my way! I have a friend to save!" I shouted with complete insanity and anger.
*****************************************************************
This is it for now so have fun and see you next chapter! (^_^)
(AN: No lemon stuff for those of you who are horny. I don't know how to write lemons nor can I write any of that "he caressed her jewel" stuff. So don't expect anything like that. Sorries, but it ain't me.)