Mornings
By Cassandra Sisenta
A/N: This is the final chapter. sniff I will miss "Mornings". A bit of a mystery in this chapter. Yeah! Thank you for the reviews!
DISCLAIMER: I only own Akuma, Kuroi, and Fuudo.
Chapter XII
Akuma and Kuroi
"Fuudo!"
A yell broke through the silence of Kinmoku castle's expansive grounds, startling the birds who rested in the trees and making them fly off to avoid whatever it was that uttered such a fierce battle cry.
"Fuudo!"
Footsteps stamped against the ground, picking up dust slightly. Agile legs were swift as they stretched across the stone paths and grassed terrain.
"FUUUDOOOOOOO! OI!"
Long black hair flew as the wind cut through the strands, but the owner of such fine hair didn't care.
"FUUUUUDOOOOO!! WHERE ARE YA YOU CRAZY FELINE!!!"
Amber eyes darted here and there, looking for the owner of the name that had been called repeatedly.
Stamping feet, darting eyes, flying hair—Akuma Akari was on the hunt for Fuudo.
Who was Fuudo? Fuudo was Akuma's cat, but he wasn't just a cat. Usually, such a small animal couldn't really cause much trouble and their owners probably didn't really go around in a wild panic when they disappear. Well then again, they probably did, but with the thought that their cat would get hurt.
Akuma, on the flipside, was concerned that his cat would actually hurt someone.
See, Fuudo wasn't your average tabby cat.
He's actually—
Stare.
STOOOOOOOOOP! Screeeeeeeee—
Heave!
Stopping himself from swearing loudly as he was wont to do during situations like this, Akuma fixed his amber gaze on the one standing so obliviously in his path and looking like an idiot staring at something that was up a tree. He immediately made his presence known.
"Oi Kuroi! Get out of the way right now! I'm kind of in a hurry here."
The white-haired Neo-Starlight in training (who was curiously in her female form at the moment) didn't even move an inch to acknowledge Akuma who was getting impatient by the moment. She just continued on staring at the tree and whatever it was up there that she saw.
"Oi Kuroi! Get—"
Kuroi suddenly pointed, her finger directed at something that was hidden within the shadows of the tree branches.
"Look."
Akuma growled impatiently. "I don't have time for this, Kuroi."
The usually strange Starlight-in-training didn't even budge.
Akuma felt a nerve pop in his forehead.
"Kuroi…" He growled, his fists clenching at his sides as he tried to keep them from throttling the white-haired menace.
"A black panther's sitting among the tree's branches."
That surely got his attention and Akuma's head spun towards the direction she had been pointing at for some time now.
A dramatic gasp. "Fuudo!"
The black panther that Kuroi had said was up in the tree raised its head slowly from the comfortable nest of its overlapping paws and opened its distinctly feline eyes. One eye was an icy blue, the other a bloody red. It slowly cast its gaze towards the one who had called it by its name and stared back.
Akuma approached the tree and yelled, "Fuudo! Get down here right now!"
A moment's pause as they waited for whatever reaction the panther would have on his master's words.
If the regal black panther could raise an eyebrow and sniff disdainfully it probably would have; one could tell by just looking at the impressive superior look it had on its face. With a slight turn of its head and with a bit of a flourish, it returned to its former state and continued its catnap.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
And the birds flew away, terrified at the awful battle cry.
Akuma was heaving, getting angrier by the minute as he stared daggers at the oblivious feline that had been with him ever since he had been young. It just certainly did not do. Fuudo had to go back. He'd just cause so much trouble. The last time he had been out, he had caused a riot among the ladies-in-waiting when he had gone off to visit Kakyuu-hime.
Akuma had taken eons to apologize before he had been forgiven, promising that he'd keep Fuudo out of sight.
He'd be in so much trouble if one of the ladies-in-waiting saw Fuudo again. So much for the panther being a shadow guardian. It can't even keep to the shadows for its own sake.
"Oi—"
"Fuu-san. Onegai, please get down. Akuma-sama wants you to get down."
The former Knight turned his gaze towards Kuroi who had stood beside him and appealed to the feline shadow guardian up in the tree. Akuma looked somewhere between exasperation and incredulity.
What did the kid think she'd be accomplishing by doing that?
Fuudo was one snobbish and temperamental feline. Despite the fact that he was quite dependable when he was needed, he offered little support beyond the battlefield. He was pretty much content with just sitting around and lazing around under the sun while doing what he wanted, when he wanted. He barely answered to anyone though he had a certain liking to Kakyuu-hime, Kagami, Rui, Kitto, Taiki, Yuri, Hikaru, Aoi, and Kira for some strange reason. They, along with Akuma of course, were the only few that he responded to in a favorable manner.
But of course, little Kuroi Kou didn't know that so she bothered.
Akuma was about to tell her this little tidbit of information when a shadow dropped down gracefully to the grass under the tree.
Fuudo had just jumped down from the tree and was slowly approaching the two of them.
Akuma's eyes were amazed as he followed the black panther's progress.
The panther's body was sleek and slender. If Fuudo were to stand on his hind legs, he probably would have been around Kuroi's height. Its steps were silent as expected, though unlike other felines Fuudo left no tracks. Its blue and red eyes were fixed on Kuroi and Akuma readied himself.
If the panther tried anything to hurt the young senshi, Fuudo had another thing coming to him--
And he almost died of shock when the large cat rubbed its head against Kuroi's leg and purred low in its throat.
To say that Akuma wanted to drop his mouth open to the ground was an understatement.
To say that Kuroi was delighted was also an understatement.
As if forgetting that Fuudo wasn't potentially dangerous, she launched herself on the panther, surrounding its neck with her arms as she crouched. A smile parted her lips in a very pleased manner.
"Thank you for listening, Fuu-san." She told the panther, giving it a fond kiss on its large head. She beamed up at Akuma who was still snapping himself out of it. "And I'm sure Akuma-sama is happy about that too."
Fuudo opened its eyes from its state of closed bliss to cast a look at Akuma, his superior one and turned away, concentrating on Kuroi's delightful attentions.
Why that little…"Akuma-sama, shouldn't we be taking Fuu-san back?"
Akuma's attention was called back to Kuroi who was smiling back at him before Fuudo nudged his nose against her cheek, making her giggle.
Still not believing it, Akuma answered a bit confusedly.
"Aa."
"Let's go then." She declared and stood up as she led Fuudo towards the castle, Akuma following closely behind with his thoughts. Sure, Fuudo responded to some people, but not quite like this. He was never so affectionate and he never allowed himself to be touched like that. What could it all mean?
Akuma stared ahead at Kuroi, who was smiling and talking to Fuudo as if the panther could answer back any minute. Fuudo could understand human language, but of course couldn't speak back. He was however, walking leisurely beside the golden-eyed Starlight.
What is different about you, Kuroi Kou? Why is my shadow guardian reacting to you like this?"Ne Akuma-sama?"
"Hn?"
"Could I sometimes come and visit Fuudo-san?" She asked just as the wind blew and her white ponytail flew around her and she reached up with a hand to pull away the errant strands, which flew into her face. Of course she was still smiling that brilliant smile of hers.
He nodded a bit absently in response.
"I suppose. He does like you doesn't he?"
"Yatta! Hear that Fuu-san? I'll get to visit you!"
Fuudo of course did not respond vocally, but when Kuroi wasn't looking he turned his head and gazed at Akuma over his shoulder.
They stared at each other as if they were in silent, telepathic conversation before Fuudo stared ahead once more.
Akuma fixed his gaze on Kuroi once more, even more puzzled than when they had started to go back to the castle.
Why Kuroi Kou? Why did he choose you?