Chapter 5 The fox, the bat, and the girl.
Early the next morning, too early to Tou-Kou's preference, Koronue nudged the ningen gently with his foot. "Wake up, Youko wants to talk." Her response was cocooning in her cloak and giving him a concise groan. Sighing, the bat scooped up the bundle, carried her a little ways and handed her to her beseecher. The fox shook her slightly, "She sleeps like she's dead." He said to himself, "Ningen, wake up, we have to talk." He said in a very serious kind of way. Her head emerged from the cocoon, brows knit together, eyes sleepily half opened. "We are considering what to do with you, and I thought you might want a say in the matter." He steadied her on her feet as he spoke. Swaying for a moment, she looked at him to give him her full attention.
"You are in Reikai, a place where humans are rare, and not always welcome. It's dangerous for the weak, and timid, though not nearly as hostile as Makai. The way I see it, you have every right to go back to your own land," his eyes dimmed from their usual glow when he said this. "But if you would rather stay here, you are welcome to our place." He smiled at her.
She stared at the floor, 'Go back? What is left for me at home? I'm not hated, but not really wanted, either. I don't suppose any one would miss me. I have no real friends, but I have my father. He never really said he loves me…but smiled at me often. He associates with dreadful looking men, though. It's dangerous here, but I trust Kurama; Koronue might not but as cheerful with me, but I could get used to him. I'm taking my chances, I'm staying.'
Holding her head high again, she seized the two in the biggest hug she could manage. Koronue gasped for air, "That means she is staying, right?" Youko laughed, "Is it true?" a furious nod confirmed. "Good, I have a gift for you." He handed her a green bundle and shooed her into a spare room. Unfolding the green cloth, she laughed softly. Youko had gotten her some clothes, to say the least. It looked like some thing Tinker Bell would wear.
Trying it on, she discovered it fit her very well. Dark green leggings covered her legs, with golden yellow swirling bands around her ankles. The light green tunic was hemmed in the jagged Tinker Bell style, and held onto her top with golden yellow straps. Over the tunic was a darker transparent fabric that covered her shoulders and went down an inch beyond her fingers. Cloth bracelets wrapped around her wrists to keep the fabric from slipping up if her arms were raised, and a V shaped gold belt held onto her waist to keep the tunic and over cloth from coming up. (This out fit rocks.) She was given a modest pair of leather shoes similar to Youko's. 'Did he measure me in my sleep? Everything fits.' She thought looking the out fit over in the mirror. Feeling a little silly, she poked her head out the door cautiously.
"Well, what do you think?" the fox looked anxious. Opening the door all the way, Tou-Kou cocked an eyebrow and gave him a scrutinizing look. "Youko, she looks like a fairy or something." Koronue covered his eyes discomfited. The fox lowered his eyes, obviously hurt. Tou-Kou raised his chin, smiling shyly, and then raised her eyebrow again at the black winged demon. Koronue got told.
The fox cleared his throat professionally. "If you want to stay with us, you must be aware we are not exactly perfect." Koronue decided to join in, seeing as the fox was sugarcoating things. "We're bandits, we steal, and sometimes kill. We're legends." Tou-Kou blinked in surprise. 'Bandits? Oh, my!'
Youko winced when his partner spoke so bluntly. "Yes, we are law-breakers; that how we make a living." Tou-Kou shrugged it off; she did not want to show any emotion to that comment. Pacing back and forth, the fox thought about something that had plagued his mind since last night. "I was hoping you would become our protégé. At least come with us, to get out of the hide-out now and then; like I said, Reikai is dangerous and our hide-out has to be a secret."
Tou-Kou had to sit down; this was too much. Be bad, but they acted so good to her, or at least Kurama did. If Reikai was so dangerous, not many good job options were available. Koronue stood in the background once again as the vulpine bandit bonded with the ningen stranger. "Are you alright with that? I mean, if you still want to go back, you can." He knelt before the girl; she took his hands and spoke with her eyes. 'I guess I could stay for a while, live a little of both worlds and choose between them.' All this information was somehow beamed into his brain, for he nodded, smiled and got hugged by her. Another pair of arms joined the two people. Koronue wrapped his wings around the three of them. "I want in on the love, too. Not even I can live with out some affection!" v
Tou-Kou giggled and pinched his cheek, 'Get a girlfriend, you fruit.'
kinda short, sorry
R&R