Chapter Twelve: Pictures
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The guys were reluctant to leave but they went. Rin found Tara but she wanted to be alone. The snow fell the whole day in both the demon and human world.
Tara was standing on a bridge. The sun was an hour from setting so it was becoming quite cold in demon world. Her anger was finally smoothing down. She looked down at the river below. It was already freezing over with winter ice. Thinking about everthing she threw a power ball in the water. She stood there a moment.
Kurama silently walked on the bridge and stood next to Tara. "I wanted to apolgize for Setsuna's actions today. She was out of line."
She scoffed. "Don't worry about it."
He looked at her conceringly but went on. "What will you do if we are to not return?"
She began to walk and he fell in step next to her. Sighing she thought for a long time. "Most likely forfeit. We could go and fight but three against seven isn't a good number. Forfeit would give my father the upper hand but it seems there is nothing else to do." They walked in silence for the rest of the walk. Kurama stopped because he realize that Tara stopped.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
Smiling she said nothing but pointed to the front of them. It was a wide open area. "Just watch." In minutes a building appeared out of no where.
"Wow."
"Yea I know. I keep it under a spell that my uncle taught me. Come I'm sure it is warmer in there then out here."
"So what is this place?" He asked after they had entered and put their jackets on a holder.
"A secret. I come here when I have days like today." He looked around. "I mostly has pictures in here." She stated as if there needed to be an explanation. He went over to a shelve with the some of the said pictures. "They go from most distant to most recent."
A particular picture caught his eye. "Who are they?"
Gently taking the picture from him she looked at it. "Just a bat demon who changed his life around by falling in love." She walked over and sat on the couch that was there. "He's name was Kuronue and he was found dying in a trap set for those who steal." She stopped as if trying to remember the night. "I remember it. The night when the alarms sounded. They were loud. During the chase a bat friend and I check the trap. He was hurt pretty badly, but neither one of us could leave him there. So she flew him to her cottage were she tried her best to heal him. Eventually he came around and was finally able to walk. She was so happy. So was I." Tara stopped again.
Kurama sat opposite of her on the couch. "Please go on."
She smiled. "It was kept a secret that she saved a robber and soon after he was healed he married her. This is a picture of them three years later. The little girl in there is Yukari, their daughter. It was a happy family for quiet awhile. But then Kuronue began to feel bad again and one night when I was over he collasped to the floor. I tried all I could do to save him but by mornings light he past through the pain to a place where us living could never go."
Kurama didn't speak so she continued. "Yukari and her mother lived on trying very hard to remain happy. Then tradegy came again. Yukari's mother became sick. I went to see them but they were gone. Just disappeared." She pointed to a box on the fireplace. "He gave me his necklace to give to her and she gave it to me. I keep it there with others too, so it is not alone." Sitting back she smiled again. "You're the first living person that I've ever told that to." Shivering she got up and walked over to the lit fire. He got up as well and replaced the picture and looked at more.
"This looks like Hiei."
"That's because it is." She stated without looking up.
"But who are the other two?"
"If you want to believe it or not, that's your dark friend's family."
Kurama was shocked. "I wondered what he was up to. He seems distant."
"Believe this or not as well but that Katsumi there too."
"Then the little girl you saved was..."
"Yea their daughter."
He looked at the picture again. They looked very happy. "I always thought but never assumed that he was in a relationship." Looking again at the picture he moved on. Standing still he stopped dead in front of a rose framed picture. An older male fox and a younger female fox were in it. It was a picture of Yoko. /But how does she have a picture of my demon side./ Looking closer at the little girl in the picture he saw she was wearing a rose necklace much like the one Tara was wearing. "Is this...you?"
She said nothing but nodded her head. "My uncle and I." She managed to quitely say. "Those are my family pictures. My brother, sister, mother, and even Ura. But the majority of them are my uncle." Tears formed in her eyes. "It's getting dark, we should leave now."
Thinking he did something wrong he apologized. "I'm sorry I didn't..."
"Look don't worry about it. We have our family problems to. We take them as they come, and even as they go." Locking the door the building disappeared. They walked the distance to the bridge in silence. "Please tell Setsuna that there are no hard feelings. I too understand what it is like to want someone home. Goodnight." Bowing she left.