DISCLAIMER: Nope. Don't own it. Deal with it.
Hullo again! Here's the next chapter of a true story about Naomi Starcloud. Enjoy reading about me! J/k! But I do want you to enjoy....
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"You know what? I'm gonna become a ninja....."
"A ninja? That's stupid."
"What about you? What're you gonna be?"
"Nothing. I'm just gonna just travel around, killing whoever pisses me off."
"You're such an idiot, Toshiro!"
Two small fox demons sat near a beautiful waterfall; one a girl, one a boy. The water was glistening in the little light that the crescent moon gave off. One fox demon we all know; Toshiro. Only, he was younger, about 10 years old or so, and he was wearing some regular village clothes. The other had emerald green eyes, reddish hair, and a huge, light-colored, puffy tail(she looks sort of like Shippou!). She, too, was wearing village clothes.
Toshiro smirked and leaned on the rock that was behind him. "Yeah, I know," he responded.
"I've got an idea...."
Toshiro glanced at her. "Oh no, not an idea!" he said sarcastically. "What is it, Shina?"
"We can both become ninjas!" she said, grinning. "It'll be great! We can have the same teachers and everything! And we'll be together forever!"
"Whatever," he said nonchalantly. Shina didn't see his smile, hidden by the darkness.
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Toshiro stood in front of Shippou(yes, we went back a little in time, but deal with it). The poor kid was cowering against the tree, waiting for the final blow. Toshiro held his hand up, ready to throw his star......
But the memory of her stopped him. They looked so much alike that it was scary. He could almost imagine her scolding glares, her loving smiles, her beautiful face; everything about her.
But if he didn't kill this runt, Keitaru would kill him. He was torn between the two choices. Luckily for him, he didn't quite have to worry about that as a certain annoying wolf demon came running up. While he and the others were talking, Toshiro was remembering more of his past.
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Shina and Toshiro faced each other, ready to fight. Shina had her throwing knives and Toshiro had his throwing stars. They were about 30 now, but they both looked ten years younger. They both were wearing ninja clothes, the sign of the profession they chose to take up.
Shina started the fight, throwing a few of her knives. Toshiro dodged them all in a series of wonderful acrobatics that were specifically to impress her. She smiled inside, but her face showed no emotion as she caught all of Toshiro's stars, throwing them right back with style and grace that no other rivaled.
After a while of fighting, Shina had finally managed to back Toshiro against a tree. Smirking, she threw her knives and pinned him to the tree. "I win, old friend."
Toshiro sighed. "Oh well.....Maybe next time....." They both looked at each other and burst out laughing. Shina retrieved her knives from the tree and from everywhere else they were, and Toshiro retrieved his stars.
Toshiro admired Shina. She was beautiful, smart, strong, graceful, kind – the list could go on forever. He loved her; there was no doubt about it. She loved him too, for all his faults and quirks. They might've lived together and been happy, if something had not happened.....
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Toshiro snapped out of his thoughts as Inuyasha and Kouga's conversation came to an end. "Fine!" they both said, turning away from each other.
He rolled his eyes and put Shina out of his mind for the time being. He held up his trade-mark stars. "So, when am I actually gonna get a real fight?" he asked mockingly.
"Shut up!" the two feuding males shouted at the same time. They glared at each other before running towards the fox demon before them. Both were without weapons; Kouga because he doesn't like using weapons, Inuyasha because he wasn't about to be outdone by a low-life wolf.
Kouga kicked just as Inuyasha punched. Toshiro dodged both attacks, grinning smugly. Kouga and Inuyasha glared at each other once more, both blaming the other for missing him.
"Stay outta my way if you can't hit him!" Inuyasha yelled.
"I don't see you making any marks!" Kouga yelled back.
Kagome's plan wasn't going too well.....
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Naraku sat in his room. That's it. He simply sat there. He wasn't doing anything, just sitting. Sitting. Sitting. Sitting.
He got bored.
"99 BOTTLES OF SAKE ON THE WALL!! 99 BOTTLES OF SAKE!! YOU TAKE ONE DOWN, YOU PASS IT AROUND, 98 BOTTLES OF SAKE ON THE WALL!!"
I'm sad to say that this is what anyone in or around Naraku's castle had to listen to. They all let out a cheer when he finally got down to one.
"1 BOTTLE OF SAKE ON THE WALL!! 1 BOTTLE OF SAKE!! YOU TAKE IT DOWN, YOU PASS IT AROUND, YOU TEAR DOWN THE WALL......999 BOTTLES OF SAKE ON THE WALL!!"
A groan came from the unwanting audience. Would it never end?!
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Somehow, Inuyasha and Kouga had managed to get Toshiro to his knees. No one was quite sure how it happened or who actually did it, but they all agreed on one thing: They didn't care how.
Toshiro was on all fours on the ground, panting. He was completely exhausted. Fighting them had somehow drained him of his energy. He had gotten hurt and was bleeding, but he had no idea how it happened. His stars had all been used up too, so he had no hopes of trying to trick them.
Inuyasha and Kouga stood above him, cracking their knuckles. "Should we kill him now, or should we wait?" Inuyasha asked, glaring down at him.
"I say we kill him now," Kouga replied.
This was another thing that puzzled everyone. Inuyasha and Kouga? Working together? No way! But it'd true, they were. They had no idea when it had happened, but it did, and they had brought Toshiro to the ground and were discussing how they should kill him, each actually agreeing on some things!
"But first, I want some questions answered," Inuyasha said, grabbing Toshiro's shirt collar and pulling him up so they were eye-level. "First, what did you do to Naomi?!"
"I gave her a gift from Lord Keitaru." He refused to say more, even when Inuyasha threatened him. He knew that Inuyasha wouldn't kill him until the rest of the questions were answered.
"Who the hell is Keitaru?!"
"A demon who wishes to kill Naomi."
"Why are you working for him?!"
Toshiro was silent for a few moments. Inuyasha repeated the question, and at long last Toshiro answered. "I have no choice."
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Shina looked at Toshiro. They were standing at the waterfall, just like old times. They were both over 100 years old now, yet they still looked just 20. Toshiro looked back at her.
Her features were delicate in the moonlight. Her hair was blowing freely in the wind, whipping around her perfect face. Her eyes sparkled like jewels, a sign that she was delighted.
As she looked at him, she saw a guy whom was perfect beyond measure. His clear blue eyes matched the ocean's blue waves, and in them she saw all the wisdom, foolishness, strength, weakness, happiness, and sadness that made up him.
Toshiro was about to start speaking when something came from the bushes. It looked like a person, yet it had no shape. It was made up purely of shadows and what looked like black liquid. It seemed to waver into and out of sight, as if it couldn't make up its mine about whether to appear or disappear.
The weird thing was that Toshiro thought it was looking at him. The gaze of whatever this thing was made his blood run cold and sent shivers down his spine. Suddenly, without warning, the thing seemed to break up and....spread. The shadows it was composed of separated, and then started to grow larger, until they completely engulfed everything.
Toshiro could see nothing. He could hear the muffled scream of someone. With a jolt of fear, he realized that it was Shina. He ran towards the sound, but only came face-to-face with a dark figure. I need not describe him, for just telling you his name will suffice.
Keitaru.
He reached out for Toshiro, but he simply swatted his hand away. "What have you done to her?!" he shouted. "What have you done to Shina?!" At this time, Toshiro knew nothing of Keitaru. This was the first time he'd ever seen him in his life.
Keitaru simply laughed and reached out again. Toshiro grabbed one of his stars and stuck it in the hated demon's heart, then watched as he fell to the ground. The darkness dispersed, and what Toshiro saw before him made him cry out.
Lying before him was not the great sorcerer Keitaru, but the fox demon Shina. He dropped to his knees, staring in horror. "What....What have I done?!"
Shina pulled herself over to him and laid her head in his lap. "Toshiro," she whispered, her voice growing weak. "It wasn't your fault. You were under a spell. I could sense it."
"It is my fault," he said. "I shouldn't have fallen for it! I was being stupid!"
She reached a hand up and brushed away a single fallen tear. "Don't you dare cry," she whispered. "I want to see a happy face before I go. So cheer up, ok?" She gave him a weak smile.
Toshiro wiped his eyes quickly with his sleeve. He smiled back, determined to give her this one last wish. She closed her eyes, still smiling. Soon, though, the smile disappeared, the color drained, and he realized that she was lost to him.
A figure came from the trees. Toshiro looked up and saw him. He gently put Shina on the ground and stood up. He faced Keitaru with hatred and anger in those clear blue eyes of his. He ran at him, grabbing his throwing stars.
"You!" he spat, throwing one at Keitaru while still running. Keitaru dodged easily. "You are the one I saw! You are the one I thought I killed! You are the one who set up this trap! You are the one who killed her!"
"I didn't kill her," he replied, smirking under his hood. "You killed her."
"You tricked me!!" Toshiro yelled. He was close enough to stick a star into Keitaru, which he did with pleasure. Right in the heart. Right where it would kill him.
But it didn't.
Toshiro watchedwith horror as Keitaru grabbed the star and took it out, still smirking. Then he used it to cut Toshiro's arm down the side, making a scar that ran from the elbow to the wrist. He thendisappeared. His voice lingered, however, and Toshiro heard him.
"I will let you live for now," the voice said. "However, there is a price. If I ever have need of you, I shall call you and you shall come willingly."
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Poor Toshiro...Poor Shina....But you know what? Due to this, a few other things happen that will play a big part in ending this thing. You'll just have to read the next chapter to find out! In it, we learn of someone who has a special power and something happens with Keitaru. Review please!