Title: Of Love and Power
Rating: PG-13 for future violence and mouthiness
Disclaimer: I do not own YYH. Some one with far more money than me owns
them, so sue them instead. I did not received any payment for the writing
of this fic.... well that's not true. There was a cookie mentioned.
Reviews: Yes Please! The more you review, the more I write.
Reiko the Demon Hunter's POV
The cool night air rushes past my face, heady and sweet with the scent of cherry blossoms in full bloom. Is it summer already? How quickly the time flies. I can feel my blood pounding a tribal beat in my ears. My lungs burn in my chest as I race through the shadowed city streets, hot on the heels of my demon quarry. The repulsive, mottled-brown monster lurches clumsily around the corner, smearing the wall with a streak of dark orange blood. I am mere seconds behind and turn to find the demon has run itself into a dead end. Prey that traps itself? How convenient! It stares at the building blocking its escape and finding no recourse it turns reluctantly to face me. Glaring defiantly out of its one remaining eye, it painfully shifts its weakened hulk into a defensive stance. The creature pants heavily, even with this small motion, pronged red tongue flicking out of a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. More orange blood oozes sluggishly from a thousand wounds, dripping into pools at its hoofed feet. I can sense my enemy summoning the last of its strength for a final, desperate strike. The demon has spent too much of its spirit energy on the struggle to keep its quickly failing body alive, but if it wants to go down swinging, I see not reason not to grant it this last request. I can't help but let a triumphant smile touch my lips, as I feed a little more energy into my shields, the light reflected in the eyes of my opponent as they flare into sight. I draw my weapon from the sheath at my back. The sword hums, awakened by my touch. My ki races down my arm to the very tip of my katana and back. It is a part of me and I a part of it. I slip easily down into a half- crouch, my blade before me like a cobra about to lash out.
"It's time to end this, old friend." I say and my heart pounds with excitement. Finally, the time has come for me to avenge my family, to destroy the foul creature I have hunted almost all my life. Take note, silly mortals. Today is the day that Reiko the Demon Hunter steps out from mediocrity into the place of legends.
The demon's maw curves up in a grotesque parody of a smile and in its eye, I see not the fear and surrender I hope for, but laughter. Even in my moment of glory, this creature dares mock me. This is the last straw. I leap forward, sword high above my head.
"DIE!" I howl into the dark night. My body jerks violently, as a bright white light blinds me. I try to throw my hands up to protect my eyes but I can't move. My sword falls from my numb fingers, clattering noisily on the ground. My triumphant war cry devolves into a tormented scream as the power rips through me. It tears at my guts and my heart and my head and...then, as quickly as it came, it's gone, replaced by a thousand dull aches. My vision seems strange and I shake my head to try and clear it, but it doesn't seem to help. I bend laboriously, reaching for my sword and stare at the hideous talon I see reaching for it where my hand should be.
Reiko the Demon Hunter's POV
The cool night air rushes past my face, heady and sweet with the scent of cherry blossoms in full bloom. Is it summer already? How quickly the time flies. I can feel my blood pounding a tribal beat in my ears. My lungs burn in my chest as I race through the shadowed city streets, hot on the heels of my demon quarry. The repulsive, mottled-brown monster lurches clumsily around the corner, smearing the wall with a streak of dark orange blood. I am mere seconds behind and turn to find the demon has run itself into a dead end. Prey that traps itself? How convenient! It stares at the building blocking its escape and finding no recourse it turns reluctantly to face me. Glaring defiantly out of its one remaining eye, it painfully shifts its weakened hulk into a defensive stance. The creature pants heavily, even with this small motion, pronged red tongue flicking out of a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. More orange blood oozes sluggishly from a thousand wounds, dripping into pools at its hoofed feet. I can sense my enemy summoning the last of its strength for a final, desperate strike. The demon has spent too much of its spirit energy on the struggle to keep its quickly failing body alive, but if it wants to go down swinging, I see not reason not to grant it this last request. I can't help but let a triumphant smile touch my lips, as I feed a little more energy into my shields, the light reflected in the eyes of my opponent as they flare into sight. I draw my weapon from the sheath at my back. The sword hums, awakened by my touch. My ki races down my arm to the very tip of my katana and back. It is a part of me and I a part of it. I slip easily down into a half- crouch, my blade before me like a cobra about to lash out.
"It's time to end this, old friend." I say and my heart pounds with excitement. Finally, the time has come for me to avenge my family, to destroy the foul creature I have hunted almost all my life. Take note, silly mortals. Today is the day that Reiko the Demon Hunter steps out from mediocrity into the place of legends.
The demon's maw curves up in a grotesque parody of a smile and in its eye, I see not the fear and surrender I hope for, but laughter. Even in my moment of glory, this creature dares mock me. This is the last straw. I leap forward, sword high above my head.
"DIE!" I howl into the dark night. My body jerks violently, as a bright white light blinds me. I try to throw my hands up to protect my eyes but I can't move. My sword falls from my numb fingers, clattering noisily on the ground. My triumphant war cry devolves into a tormented scream as the power rips through me. It tears at my guts and my heart and my head and...then, as quickly as it came, it's gone, replaced by a thousand dull aches. My vision seems strange and I shake my head to try and clear it, but it doesn't seem to help. I bend laboriously, reaching for my sword and stare at the hideous talon I see reaching for it where my hand should be.