Charms
Sorry everyone, Eiri-san bows, I've been really busy lately (more than usual). But now I'm back, so please enjoy.
Chapter 36
"There it is." Kurama was greatful to set eyes on the Hazama main house. Those high walls and green canopy of trees now covered in snow. "We're here, Daiki." the fox demon told his the friend he carried all the way from Genkai's temple to this place.
The red head was tired and cold and ready to rest and regain his spiritual and physical energy, but Daiki's concern for his sister took precidence. Just a bit further, his feet were heavy, the boy on his back was even more heavy. He stumbled but managed to lean up against the high wall, puffing white clouds of exhaustion.
Green eyes closed for a moment as he breathed. No time to rest. He grit his teeth, tightened his grip on his friend and repelled from the wall. Just a bit...The red head stopped. The sound of a strange animal hissed and growled before him. That little rodent. Kurama wanted to kick it's little fluffy butt.
The tiny thing jumped about as if trying to make him listen, to pay attention. The light brown creature pointed it's nose and on a hunch, the fox demon followed. //This had better be worth it.// Kurama warned. There was little time for idol problems.
"I'm here." Kurama stopped in the alley behind the vast home. "I'm not going any further." The red head sat his friend, as easily as his tired body allowed, on a small stack of wooden crates that the snow had not yet touched. It wasn't the best place, but it was dry.
"Fine." a gust of wind and a tan flash whirled around the creature in a column as tall as the hunter had appeared once before. "This will have to do."
"What do you want?" Kurama still didn't trust him. Perhaps he did know his old master, but what difference did that make to the fact that this man, who was appearently a shape shifter, was a hired killer. Green eyes looked into hazel. This man, always seemed so cocky to the fox demon.
"I knew it was you." he folded his arms across his chest.
"What?" Green eyes squared off with the man.
"You helped him." the hazel haired man shifted his weight and put a hand on his hip. Kurama couldn't figure this guy out. Did he even have a purpose for bringing the fox here? Daiki started breathing deeper, labored. Green eyes looked to the boy and back at the hunter.
"...If that's all then," the red head teen moved toward the strawberry blond.
"Wait." The hunter extened a hand. "I have something to give you, although I don't know how helpful it will be." he searched his furs with one hand.
"What is it?" the fox demon had only so much patience, but it would last a little longer.
"It's this." The man held out his hand to show a tiny vile that held a very bright light in it.
"What..." //It's like a soul light.// Kurama thought back to the river in his mind's eye.
"It was meant to protect him." hazel eyes looked into the glowing speck. "All I've been trying to do is to protect him." He looked up at green eyes. "You see...I promised his father that no matter what...I'd protect him." //He's trying to justify something. Wait a minute...//
"You mean..." Kurama, clenched his fist and shook with fury. "You tried to take his soul to keep it safe. Then you realized that you took both souls, but not all of them." The fox demon clarified.
"It's a new weapon, I've never used it before so..." The hunter rubbed his hair, embarassed. In a blinding flash of red hair and white shirt, the green eyed teen let his fist fly across the man's face. The fur covered fool fell back and rubbed his red cheek. "What the hell are you doing?" The man's hazel eyes opened wide seeing the vile with the precious soul in the air.
"Your heart is as twisted as your thinking." The red head easily caught the container in his open hand. "Yugasa treasured life as well as the experiences of the body and soul. To take his son's soul and lock it in a glass cage for the sake of your promise, whatever it was...You can't think that that would make Yugasa happy."
"What do you know about it?" the idiot stood and pointed to Daiki. "He's been inside of that kid of ten years and it's about time someone freed him." //Bastard, do you even know why he choose to be inside Daiki?// but the fool continued to try and justify his actions. "I was doing what I had to."
"I would say thank you, but you really haven't done me any favors." Kurama had stopped listening to his exuses. If he were a little less exhausted, he might teach that once high and mighty hunter some good old fashion back alley lessons. "Now tell me, how do I get it back into it's rightful place?"
"I don't know." the moron said simply.
"What?"
"I told you it's a new weapon that I've never used before." the hunter explained. "The one who gave it to me said that any soul captured in this thing was meant to be eaten."
"Are you telling me there's no way?" Kurama was ready to beat the living daylights out of this guy, but he supressed it long enough for an answer.
"No, no. There is a way." the hunter must have realized Kurama was done talking.
"Tell me."
"Alright. For his sake, not yours got it." Hazel eyes glared at him. Green eyes told him to get on with it. "As long as you understand, the one that gave this to me, told me that there was one way a soul could be returned."
"What is it?"
"I'm warning you it doesn't make any sense."
"Try me." The fox let a growl creep into his voice.
"He said that, 'Only the medium of the here and now can open the path to the time that was then, to return what was lost at the time it was lost."
"What does that mean?" Green eyes looked at the glowing soul.
"I told you it didn't make any sense."
"Very well," Kurama wanted to hit the guy again but that wouldn't make his brain any more capable of the severity of the situation. The fox demon tucked the tiny vile away, carefully into the folds of his clothes. Then the red head pulled the strawberry blond up by his arm and swung that arm over his shoulder, "I'll figure it out on my own."
"What are you going to do?" The hunter asked, behind him.
"I'm going to solve this riddle and return his soul to his body." the fox said simply.
"But what if you can't?"
"I'll worry about that when I've exahsted all my options."
"You really are something you know that." the hunter had a smile in his voice.
"I'm going now." //So annoying. Useless!//
"If you're going into the main house," the hunter frowned, "be prepared for..." Green eyes looked over Daiki's hand only to see the little rodent running away.
"Hey you!" Kurama jumped at a police officer who stood at the enterance to the alley. "What's going on here? Why aren't you at home?"
"I'm sorry for any trouble," Kurama was quick to make excuses for policemen. "I was just taking my friend home, you see he hasn't been feeling well and he's just gone to sleep so I..."
"You boys are high school age aren't you? You haven't been drinking have you?" the officer leaned close to the strawberry blond teen and sniffed his breath. Kurama wanted to stop him, but thought better off it. To do so would be even more suspicious. "Well, you don't seem to have been drinking. Best get him home though, he doesn't look so good."
"Yes, sir." the green eyed teen nodded.
"According to the curfew you're only to be out for emergancies so stay in doors as much as possible. Also, it's going to be dark soon. If you need help, use the telephone rather than going to the hospital yourself, get me?"
"Thank you, sir." The red head replied, cooperatively. //A curfew? Is it because of the unseasonal snow? No, there must be other occurances that force the district to issue such a strict curfew. At least that explains why I haven't seen many people out in the middle of the day.// "I'll do that." he assured the officer.
"Alright then." The man looked at Daiki and his labored breathing one last time. "Becareful you two." he said before he left.
Kurama let out a breath after the officer left. //Finally. I've got you're soul and I've got you home, but how can I make you whole again?// He managed to get to the front enterance of the residence and he knocked, he even called out, but there was no answer. //What does it mean?//
"Kurama? Is that you?" a woman's voice came from behind him.
"It can't be." Green eyes grew wide before he whipped around to confirm his suspicions. It had to be...
Sorry everyone, Eiri-san bows, I've been really busy lately (more than usual). But now I'm back, so please enjoy.
Chapter 36
"There it is." Kurama was greatful to set eyes on the Hazama main house. Those high walls and green canopy of trees now covered in snow. "We're here, Daiki." the fox demon told his the friend he carried all the way from Genkai's temple to this place.
The red head was tired and cold and ready to rest and regain his spiritual and physical energy, but Daiki's concern for his sister took precidence. Just a bit further, his feet were heavy, the boy on his back was even more heavy. He stumbled but managed to lean up against the high wall, puffing white clouds of exhaustion.
Green eyes closed for a moment as he breathed. No time to rest. He grit his teeth, tightened his grip on his friend and repelled from the wall. Just a bit...The red head stopped. The sound of a strange animal hissed and growled before him. That little rodent. Kurama wanted to kick it's little fluffy butt.
The tiny thing jumped about as if trying to make him listen, to pay attention. The light brown creature pointed it's nose and on a hunch, the fox demon followed. //This had better be worth it.// Kurama warned. There was little time for idol problems.
"I'm here." Kurama stopped in the alley behind the vast home. "I'm not going any further." The red head sat his friend, as easily as his tired body allowed, on a small stack of wooden crates that the snow had not yet touched. It wasn't the best place, but it was dry.
"Fine." a gust of wind and a tan flash whirled around the creature in a column as tall as the hunter had appeared once before. "This will have to do."
"What do you want?" Kurama still didn't trust him. Perhaps he did know his old master, but what difference did that make to the fact that this man, who was appearently a shape shifter, was a hired killer. Green eyes looked into hazel. This man, always seemed so cocky to the fox demon.
"I knew it was you." he folded his arms across his chest.
"What?" Green eyes squared off with the man.
"You helped him." the hazel haired man shifted his weight and put a hand on his hip. Kurama couldn't figure this guy out. Did he even have a purpose for bringing the fox here? Daiki started breathing deeper, labored. Green eyes looked to the boy and back at the hunter.
"...If that's all then," the red head teen moved toward the strawberry blond.
"Wait." The hunter extened a hand. "I have something to give you, although I don't know how helpful it will be." he searched his furs with one hand.
"What is it?" the fox demon had only so much patience, but it would last a little longer.
"It's this." The man held out his hand to show a tiny vile that held a very bright light in it.
"What..." //It's like a soul light.// Kurama thought back to the river in his mind's eye.
"It was meant to protect him." hazel eyes looked into the glowing speck. "All I've been trying to do is to protect him." He looked up at green eyes. "You see...I promised his father that no matter what...I'd protect him." //He's trying to justify something. Wait a minute...//
"You mean..." Kurama, clenched his fist and shook with fury. "You tried to take his soul to keep it safe. Then you realized that you took both souls, but not all of them." The fox demon clarified.
"It's a new weapon, I've never used it before so..." The hunter rubbed his hair, embarassed. In a blinding flash of red hair and white shirt, the green eyed teen let his fist fly across the man's face. The fur covered fool fell back and rubbed his red cheek. "What the hell are you doing?" The man's hazel eyes opened wide seeing the vile with the precious soul in the air.
"Your heart is as twisted as your thinking." The red head easily caught the container in his open hand. "Yugasa treasured life as well as the experiences of the body and soul. To take his son's soul and lock it in a glass cage for the sake of your promise, whatever it was...You can't think that that would make Yugasa happy."
"What do you know about it?" the idiot stood and pointed to Daiki. "He's been inside of that kid of ten years and it's about time someone freed him." //Bastard, do you even know why he choose to be inside Daiki?// but the fool continued to try and justify his actions. "I was doing what I had to."
"I would say thank you, but you really haven't done me any favors." Kurama had stopped listening to his exuses. If he were a little less exhausted, he might teach that once high and mighty hunter some good old fashion back alley lessons. "Now tell me, how do I get it back into it's rightful place?"
"I don't know." the moron said simply.
"What?"
"I told you it's a new weapon that I've never used before." the hunter explained. "The one who gave it to me said that any soul captured in this thing was meant to be eaten."
"Are you telling me there's no way?" Kurama was ready to beat the living daylights out of this guy, but he supressed it long enough for an answer.
"No, no. There is a way." the hunter must have realized Kurama was done talking.
"Tell me."
"Alright. For his sake, not yours got it." Hazel eyes glared at him. Green eyes told him to get on with it. "As long as you understand, the one that gave this to me, told me that there was one way a soul could be returned."
"What is it?"
"I'm warning you it doesn't make any sense."
"Try me." The fox let a growl creep into his voice.
"He said that, 'Only the medium of the here and now can open the path to the time that was then, to return what was lost at the time it was lost."
"What does that mean?" Green eyes looked at the glowing soul.
"I told you it didn't make any sense."
"Very well," Kurama wanted to hit the guy again but that wouldn't make his brain any more capable of the severity of the situation. The fox demon tucked the tiny vile away, carefully into the folds of his clothes. Then the red head pulled the strawberry blond up by his arm and swung that arm over his shoulder, "I'll figure it out on my own."
"What are you going to do?" The hunter asked, behind him.
"I'm going to solve this riddle and return his soul to his body." the fox said simply.
"But what if you can't?"
"I'll worry about that when I've exahsted all my options."
"You really are something you know that." the hunter had a smile in his voice.
"I'm going now." //So annoying. Useless!//
"If you're going into the main house," the hunter frowned, "be prepared for..." Green eyes looked over Daiki's hand only to see the little rodent running away.
"Hey you!" Kurama jumped at a police officer who stood at the enterance to the alley. "What's going on here? Why aren't you at home?"
"I'm sorry for any trouble," Kurama was quick to make excuses for policemen. "I was just taking my friend home, you see he hasn't been feeling well and he's just gone to sleep so I..."
"You boys are high school age aren't you? You haven't been drinking have you?" the officer leaned close to the strawberry blond teen and sniffed his breath. Kurama wanted to stop him, but thought better off it. To do so would be even more suspicious. "Well, you don't seem to have been drinking. Best get him home though, he doesn't look so good."
"Yes, sir." the green eyed teen nodded.
"According to the curfew you're only to be out for emergancies so stay in doors as much as possible. Also, it's going to be dark soon. If you need help, use the telephone rather than going to the hospital yourself, get me?"
"Thank you, sir." The red head replied, cooperatively. //A curfew? Is it because of the unseasonal snow? No, there must be other occurances that force the district to issue such a strict curfew. At least that explains why I haven't seen many people out in the middle of the day.// "I'll do that." he assured the officer.
"Alright then." The man looked at Daiki and his labored breathing one last time. "Becareful you two." he said before he left.
Kurama let out a breath after the officer left. //Finally. I've got you're soul and I've got you home, but how can I make you whole again?// He managed to get to the front enterance of the residence and he knocked, he even called out, but there was no answer. //What does it mean?//
"Kurama? Is that you?" a woman's voice came from behind him.
"It can't be." Green eyes grew wide before he whipped around to confirm his suspicions. It had to be...