Hey everyone! As promised, an update! Happy Valentines! Here is a lovely little gift for all my loyal fans-Chibi loves ya!
This means part 2 of the Conclusion is coming your way! Oh, in the first part, Kodomo is the Demon equivalent of ten and Aku is the demon equivalent of Eight. At the end of the flashback, they're the same as they were in the rest of the fic. Please forgive the bizarre format-I'm still figuring out this new program. I don't want to keep you waiting any longer than you have to for this, so here it is!


Finale-Part 2: Unspoken Adoration


How can you know you are alive if you feel no pain? I know that I exist because I AM pain. It is my companion, my lover, it is me. Pain is the one thing that I am able to rely on constantly. I wish there was more, but there isn't. If others feel pain, they're alive too, my chaos, my creation, it is all my doing! The sweet sorrows I have formed, they have meaning. I am chaos and pain, mortal men will fear me, children will have nightmares about me and all the world will shiver in fear should it cross the will of Aku-Sama!
-Secret journal of Aku

In the mists of time, forgotten by all except two sisters.........


"Kodomo?" a weak, high feminine voice echoed waveringly in the dark room.

It echoed off the walls, creating the image of a cavernous room, despite how

desperately the darkness attempted to conceal it. The child was alone here,

seemingly abandoned by everything, even her own sense of reality.

"Kodomo, where are you? I'm so cold and its dark,"


The child spoke again, her desperate crimson eyes darted feverishly around

her, seeking any sign of the familiar outline of her sister. At last, her eyes

fell upon the vaguely visible form of Kodomo-Yasha. Although older, her

sister was a great deal shorter than Aku, but she had a warm demeanor

which brought comfort to the tormented soul who lay in a fetal position in

the center of this enormous, unfathoable place.

"Kodomo...I..I hurt. It, it's all over me. All there is.........is pain,"

"Shhhhhhhhhhhh,"

The silhouette that was Kodomo placed a finger on her lips and began to

stroke the lilac tresses which fell across the floor. Aku sighed softly and

closed her eyes as she felt her sister's warm hands brought a feeling of

ecstasy to her shivering form. She felt a warm, soft object being placed

under her arm. She knew the contours of the object so well that she need

not gaze upon it to identify her beloved Luche, the stuffed Quetzecotl.

"Ko.....Kodomo, you brought Luche to me,"

"I hope he helps you get better, Aku,"

"Me too, I don' like being sick because I have to stay in here in the dark,"

"You'll get better soon,"

"I don't want to be in the dark anymore,"

"Its not for much longer,"

A sudden creak ended the pathetic exchange between the sisters. A wide

pillar of light stretched across the floor as a door opened, revealing the tall,

shadowy outline of a demon lord.

"Kodomo, come here,"

His deep voice resonated in the ground in a godlike manner, as if in decree

that this words were law and were not to be questioned.

"But, Papa...,"

"Kodomo-Yasha! I said to came here,"

"But.....I can't leave Aku, she's horribly sick! We have to do something

before she gets worse!"

"Do you defy me? insolent brat!"

"No, I just cannot leave her here in the cold......in the dark,"

"You will come here and you will do so now,"

Reluctantly, the small demon got to her feet and loyally returned to her

father's side, albeit with glassy eyes. Without a word, the Demon Lord

reached a taloned hand for the door handle. A pair of manic crimson eyes

were upon him.

"Papa......please don't leave me here! I beg you! Be merciful! PLEASE," the

small voice cracked and hot, scalding tears poured out of her flashing eyes.

Kodomo looked momentarily at Aku, but then turned away. All the while, the

Demon Lord showed no emotion as he pulled the door shut.

"Papa?"

"Papa?"

Her world plunged into darkness.


"PAPA!!!!!!!!!!!!!"



I am your destiny, dream and desire. Within the hearts of every living thing is a dream. I serve as a means to create that dream. In your heart, your dream sleeps, crystallized, invisible, but I shall remove it and give it to you. I will make your dreams come true. The child within every one of us sleeps with the hope that your dream will be realized. I am the Keeper of Dreams, the childlike demon, Kodomo-Yasha.
-Inscription on the wall of Kodomo-Yasha's Temple

Present Day-Same time as the events of the previous chapter

Within the temple of Kodomo-Yasha

Aku-Sama seized her sister by the collar and gave her a vicious shake,

causing blood to spatter on the stone walls. Her cruel crimson eyes gleamed

with insanity as she began to punch Kodomo-Yasha repeatedly in the

stomach. After a sudden gasp from Kodomo, she stopped and lifted her

high once more, squeezing her collar around her neck. Specks of black blood

fell upon Aku's pearlescent cheeks.

"Why must you insist upon this ridiculous course of action? Can you not see

that those who cause me suffering must be punished? It IS my purpose!"

Kodomo struggled to look her sister in he face, difficult, for one of her eyes

was swollen and her head wanted nothing more to hang limply on her chest.

"A-Aku....you have no right to do such unspeakable things to people. Your

curses are unfounded. I've done what I can to amend some of the damage

you've caused. I've seen their pain first hand, their sorrow, their shame,

How can you live with yourself? You've broken families, shattered lives.

Have you no remorse? No concept of what you have done?"

"I have the courage to do what you can't! Show these wretched mortals

who is the superior being! I have power over them! I'm better! They're the

animals, not me! I am doing what I was BORN to do!"

"No.."

"Shut Up!"

Aku slammed Kodomo's broken body into the cold stone floor. There were

several audible cracks. Kodomo's sides rose and fell heavily. She curled

into a fetal position, eyes clenched tightly shut. Aku walked slowly around

her, her footsteps echoed loudly in the ancient temple, how familiar it all

seemed.
Aku's vice became oddly quiet.

"Kodomo, Do you still not understand? Do you understand what I am? What

my purpose is? And you would still try to stop me from doing what is

natural,"

She stepped in slow, exaggerated footsteps around her incapacitated

sibling. Once again, her voice took on the oil slick tones of the dangerously

unbalanced.

"My, how the tables have turned. Wouldn't you agree Kodomo?"

Aku planted a fierce kick in her sister's stomach.

A cool laugh echoed around them. Kodomo opened her eyes. Past her

sister's shapely foot were two pairs of glowing red eyes.

Damn! She thought, she brought those wretched chupacabras with her!

Aku looked up suddenly.

"Chupe! Come with me! We're off on a little adventure of our own. Lu! You

stay here and keep an eye on my rather insistent sibling. Nothing harsh,

mind you, just make sure she stays here. Oh, and don't let me catch you

calling that griffin of yours, or I may inform my friends here of the benefits

of white meat. Catch you later.....Kodomo," Aku snickered as she left,

trailed closely by her quadropedal "shadow".

Kodomo-Yasha gazed up at the beast who had been left to "watch" her.

To her surprise, she saw not malice or cruelty reflected in its savage

crimson eyes, but the unmistakable sign of adoration was present in its gaze

as her sister disappeared from sight. The look remained, even hours after

the two had been left alone. Kodomo struggled to raise herself up a little

and was met with a suddenly steely, red gaze.

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. I am simply attempting to pull

myself into a respectable position,"

The chupacabra strode up to her and lay down in front of her, staring

directly into her eyes. Kodomo pulled herself painfully up against a wall and

used it to prop up her back. The crimson orbs never left her.

"Lu is it?" Kodomo asked.

The gaze became icy in an instant. A low snarl rose in the throat of the

beast.

"You know, If you never tell her, she'll never know,"

The chupacabra gave a start and snarled at Kodomo. Kodomo's eyes

softened as she smiled calmly at the creature with a look of sympathy and

understanding.

"Lu, you are a very unique creature. For one of your kind, you have a most

beautiful dream within your heart. Your heart is not clouded with bloodlust

or cruelty, but with an unspoken adoration. How curious,"

Lu wore an expression of both violation and awe. How had this demon

known his most intimate secret? It had been carefully guarded for decades.

He narrowed one of his eyes at Kodomo.

"You love my sister, don't you? You don't know how to show it, but part of

you wants to embrace her and hold her hand in yours. But, you don't really

have hands and that bothers you to no end. Am I right? "

The chupacabra's threatening visage fell, it almost looked ashamed. The

magnificent beast hung its head and whimpered. So it had been found out.

It pathetic dream revealed to the one its beloved master had sworn to rival.

How disgustingly embarrassing. The dream sounded so sickening when

someone spoke it aloud. It revealed how ludicrous it was. Lu clenched his

jaw so tightly that it began to shake.

"There, there, It's nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has feelings, you

shouldn't be ashamed of yours. Oh dear, I'm making you cry!"

Kodomo noticed two streams of liquid dripping down its face. She reached

out with her hand and gently wiped them away. The pitiful monster let out a

near silent chuffing sound.

"Who says monsters don't cry," Kodomo said softly.

"I understand and I can help. You see, It is my duty to assist those who are

destined for something that is beyond their original capacity. So, I lent my

assistance to Seymour and so I shall gladly assist in the fulfillment of your

heart's desire,"

Lu gave another start and looked up at Kodomo with tear filled crimson

eyes. Kodomo gave his spiky fur a stroke.

"You're an original, aren't you? This is the only form you posses, you were

born this way, were you not?"

Lu gave an uncertain nod

"True chupacabras are getting harder and harder to find. You really are

magnificent, but I think I know what you want,"

Kodomo lay her hand gently on the top of Lu's head and began to softly

pet him. She felt the creature quiver under her touch.


"Then show me your dreams and let your heart guide your destiny,"

Kodomo Yasha closed her eyes and placed her hands in front of her. She

created a circle with the two of them and reached toward Lu's chest. The

room became illuminated with a silvery light which created enormous

shadows and a strobe like effect. Lu widened his round red eyes as the

demon reached INTO his chest and removed a small, but brilliant gem.

Kodomo opened her eyes and a smile came across her features.

"This is your heart's desire. It lay asleep within you, a dream, but wake now

and realize your heart's one true wish,"

When the light faded, the temple was silent. The only audible sounds were

the chirping of the crickets outside and a deep, mascline breathing. Kodomo

stood up and admired her handiwork. There was no longer a demon and a

chupacabra in the room, but rather a demon and a wiry, but muscular, young man in the room. Clothed in dark pants and a sleeveless shirt, he sat,

unbelieving before her. Chin length, spiky brown hair hung over his deep

crimson eyes which now had perfectly circle pupils. Before these eyes he

held a pair of shaking, five fingered hands. Water brimmed in his eyes for

the third time in his life, but for the first time, human tears fell from those

red spheres and onto the floor of the temple.

........

Sunlight began to stream into the attic window as a beautiful new day

began. In the near silent room, two distinctly different breathing patterns

could be heard from the slumbering youths within the dusty old room.

Seymour opened his coffee colored eyes inquiringly. Was it daybreak

already? What was he going to do about Jade? He couldn't let her see him

changing back. It was one thing to see him afterwards, but to allow her to

see the paralyzing agony he went through again..........he couldn't! He cast a

glance over at his friend. There she was, leaning against.....against HIM!

She wore a contented smile and her sleep mask now only covered one eye.

She made a slight "mmmph" in her sleep and her lips parted slightly and

seemed to pucker. She mouthed something he couldn't make out. He

suddenly became very aware of the deep burning sensation in his cheeks.

He raised a hand to his face and felt them flaring, which only served to

escalate the blushing. The flesh on his hands began to darken. Seymour

cursed mentally, he was caught between a rock and a hard place. If he

moved, Jade would wake up, if he remained still and hopefully silent, she

would sleep through the entire incident. However, he noticed something

rather strange. A pins and needles feeling flowed through his arm and he

began to feel similar tinglings all over his body. Hadn't he felt something

similar last night? Seymour suddenly became terrified, he had no idea what

was happening to his body now, he hated not knowing, it reminded him too

much of that day long ago.

He swallowed hard and felt a cold sweat break out over him. Jade's grip

tightened on his shirt. She looked so perfect, just like that. Somehow, her

being there made him not afraid anymore. Seymour sighed and tried to

relax, despite the tingling sensation he felt. A thought suddenly occurred to

him, Jade has said that he was her best friend EVER, he felt the same way

about her, maybe even more than that....but shouldn't that break Aku's

curse? That should be enough! He realized that his body was fighting his

transformation, it was almost over, after centuries of being bound by

misery, freedom was at last within his grasp. Almost.....After a few minutes

of fighting it, his body could delay the inevitable change. He gave in and

braced for agony...that never came. It was numb now, not at all like the

indescribable pain that had previously accompanied it. Aku's power was

fading, maybe next month, his body would fight it off for good. He had

waited this long, he could wait a little longer. The mere thought of this

wretched enchantment being over was enough to pacify him. He flexed his

reformed talon in front of his face, smiling knowingly. He thought to himself:

Just wait Aku, I'll beat you yet and I'll do it completely fair!


Seymour fought an overpowering urge to break out in hysterical, relieved

laughter. Instead, he narrowed his luminescent eyes and grinned

mischievously. He would reclaim his life, even if it meant doing it on the

insane demoness' terms.

END PART 2 of 3 Part Conclusion
Guess what? Next chapter is gonna be huge! But, that also means that it will be awhile before the next update, but it will wrap up this tale nicely! ^_^
Please be patient, it will be well worth your wait!
Next up:
Will Sey go to he Prom?
Will Lu confess his true feelings to the one he loves?
What is his story anyway?
Is this THE END?
Corsages, dancing, true friendship........The Prom is here and so is a purple haired chaperone. Friendship will be shone before all present and unrequited passions will be revealed. The conclusion of LiL is next.