Delicate Petals
(This is where you put the standard disclaimer)
Chapter 27
XxXxX
I was more than happy to see the main road come into our sight. Only a little while on this road and we would be at the town. I just wanted any excuse possible to get away from Kuronue. I smiled slightly. The past five minutes have been bliss. Just an hour ago, I had caught my second wind. I let my senses drift to the scents around us.
"Well, what have we here" The main road was always a source of travel for carriages and travellers. The demon beside us now looked like a ningen except he had long, pointed ears, fangs, and a long, brown tail that rested next to his leg. He was obviously a neko (cat) demon. "Where ye be going" His scent was oddly familiar... I cleared my throat and drew his attention to myself.
"We are going straight to the village by the castle."
"Ah." He nodded. "Ye seem familiar, boy." He leaned toward me, his glistening scarlet eyes thoughtful.
"I am merely in my ningen form, as you are, Kyoichi." I finally remembered who he was. He was an ally of mine.
"Now, how in the..." His eyes suddenly widened. "Ye be... Youko" I nodded. He smirked. "Well, it has been a while, my friend. Come. I will give ye all a ride." He still spoke the same and had the same personality. He didn't know Kuronue, of that I can remember well. I met him well before Kuronue but I had visited him and had, of course, told him of my friend. "Now, the rest of ye need to tell me yer names."
"My name is Kuronue, he's Yuusuke, and that's Hiei." I sighed, knowing he would be the one to answer.
"Yuusuke, ye be ningen, correct"
"Yeah." I knew Kyoichi had no problems with ningens. In fact, he was usually seen in ningen territories. We began moving once everyone was up. Kuronue, Yuusuke, and Hiei were in the back and I was seated in the front to speak with my neko demon friend. The scent of horses filled my senses and nearly made me sneeze.
"The rumors be true, Youko" He asked quietly. I sighed.
"Which ones? There are so many."
"The ones that say ye be stationed in Ningenkai." I nodded.
"I had no other choice. If I had stayed here, I would have been killed. That bounty hunter nearly had my head as it were." A sly smile appeared on his lips.
"But ye seem strong enough now. Why are ye still there"
"Well..." I paused. "I found myself a mate and I work for Koenma." His smiled only widened. "That and my ningen mother got sick when I was going to come back. Unfortunately, I have not found the heart to abandon everyone only to remain here."
"Word was that ye were here a little while back."
"Yes, I was. I got fed up and returned, only to have been attacked at a vulnerable state. My mate came and took me back, wounded and delirious. Kuronue saved my life there." I sighed again. He gave me a grin.
"I found myself a good mate, as well. When ye errand is complete, do ye wish to meet with my family"
"You went and had a family" I smiled. "Of course I would love to meet them. How far away is your home" He thought for a moment.
"Well, it takes me two days to get here. I believe ye will not be off by too much." I shook my head, calculating it in my head. We wouldn't have to travel the marshes if we went his way.
"And we will not hit those marshes again."
"Then let's go" I heard Yuusuke's voice plead. I rolled my eyes.
"Kyoichi... what do you transport into the village" I asked. He reached back and pulled out an all too familiar fruit. "Why would anyone want this"
"There are others like ye there, believe it or not." He tossed it to me and I stared down at it. "I have an extra bag with me at all times. Ye can have them." I smiled.
"Thank you." I frowned then. "How did you get so many"
"I be raising them." I stayed silent. My thoughtful expression must have reminded him of when I used to question things and turn them over in my mind because he did not say anything more.
XxXxX
We were in town that night, going through the dark streets. Lighted yellow patches lit up the gravel from the taverns and warm homes. Loud voices and chattering and breaking glass broke any of the silence that might have made it seem peaceful. I had eaten a fruit and was my old self for a while before it wore off. Kyoichi seemed unfazed as the scents of meats and fresh baked bread wafted out from the cracks in the windows and doors. But we were starving. I could tell the others were. Especially Kuronue. He always had this certain way of letting one know he was hungry. He would get this begging expression in his indigo eyes and he would make sighing sounds, each exactly five seconds apart.
"What tavern do you stay in" I asked curiously. Kyoichi looked over and smiled.
"It be a good ten more minutes." He replied. My eyes scanned the back alleys. I caught barely an outline of a shadowed figure here or there. I soon got bored; probably less than five seconds later and took a fruit out to munch on. I did it so absently. The effect took a little while but it happened before we reached the inn. A stable hand took the horses and cargo and knew exactly what to do. We went inside. The scents hit my sensitive nose and I immediately felt nauseous. It had been a little while since my senses were this sharp. The sick feeling left me after we sat at a table in the back for at least a half-hour. The fruit was always stronger than the juice squeezed from it. But I kept eating bits and pieces of it while waiting for some ale to be served.
"How do you feel" Yuusuke asked, probably seeing my expression when we entered.
"Better." I was getting used to my old senses again. The ale arrived and I was about to fish out some money when Kyoichi shook his head.
"I be payin' for us. I have a tab." He smiled warmly. "It has been so long..." I nodded and sat back, taking brief samples of the scents in the air. I could smell the bread, stew, and meat, same as in any tavern, drifting in from the kitchen. It made me feel at home. Some of the demons even had pipes. It felt so nice and warm inside compared the cool draft outside. My bones warmed before we even got food on the table. No chill remained in my body. After we ate and had two more large mugs of ale, we headed to our room. In order to save money, we ordered one room and Kyoichi got the bed while the rest of us spread out along the floor. I lay awake for about an hour, staring into the snapping fire, and thinking absently of my criminal past. If I could remain here, I would. If I could stay as Youko, I would. There was no doubt in my mind. But I loved Botan and it might not be the best environment for her here. Inside, I felt a longing. I always felt this longing. But it had made itself absent tonight. I was home, in Makai, for once. "Ye be well, Youko" I looked over at Kyoichi.
"I believe I am." I said soberly. With my sharper vision, I could see every detail of his youthful face. If I were still in ningen form, I would only see him when the light danced across his face, playing cat and mouse with the shadows.
"Ye wish for this to be permanent, aye" I sighed softly to myself.
"I really do not know what to think. I want it to be permanent, yes... but I would never sacrifice my love for my mate to be this way." He walked over and sat next to me.
"Get some sleep. In the mornin' I will be tellin' ye how to transform back and forth without the fruit." I looked over at him sharply.
"You know how"
"There be a way to anything. My mate knows the secret well. She will help ye while we be there." I nodded eagerly. I would give anything to be able to be free whenever I pleased. I did not mind being Shuuichi in Ningenkai but sometimes, I had to be free.
"Thank you..." He put a hand on my shoulder then went back to bed. I felt the tension in my mind and body ease and, as soon as I lay down, I fell into a fitful slumber.
XxXxX
The morning in the tavern was the complete opposite to last night. I walked out to find myself nearly the only one in there. I tried to wait in the room and passed the time by eating little tidbits of the fruit. Then, when I was transformed, I left the room. I felt so rested. But I was craving something to eat. My mouth was a bit dry, too. The waitress immediately asked me if I wished for anything. I told her something to hold me over until my friends got up and something to drink. She brought me tea and leftover bread. I noticed how she stared at me. It made me feel very uncomfortable. I sipped the hot tea gratefully and gave her the amount of the cost, even though Kyoichi told us last night that he would pay. I told her not to tell him and she giggled and nodded with a sweet smile on her face. She was younger than me by at least one hundred and fifty years. Less than two minutes later, Kyoichi slid into the seat next to me.
"Ye be up early."
"I was never a late riser if I could help it." I grinned at him. "Have some tea with me. It tastes good." He nodded cheerily and ordered himself some. The young girl immediately brought him a cup.
"Well, this is the first time you ever brought company with you."
"Eh, they be wanderin' the main road when I be goin' by." He sipped the tea; let out a sigh of contentment. "This one happened to be an old friend."
"Oh? What is your name" She asked me, gazing at me through long lashes with lavender eyes. They were darker than Botan's and had less fire. I gave her a sly look.
"You need to tell me yours first."
"Everyone calls me Suko." She rested her chin the palm of her hand, her dark hair falling forward, brushing her freckled, pink-tinted cheeks.
"Everyone calls me Youko." After a moment, she recoiled as though I were a serpent. I gave her an odd look.
"Youko Kurama" I nodded, looking over at Kyoichi for an answering expression but he just shrugged. Big help he was. "What business do you have reappearing in a small town like this"
"I would hardly call this small." I muttered before shifting slightly. "Anyway, I am here on business." A foreign emotion flickered in her large eyes.
"Are you here to... make this territory yours" I sighed audibly. Why does my past have to be this cruel to me? Why does every demon in this realm have to know my name?
"No, I am not. I am here on a mission with my companions to deliver something to the owner of this territory. Does that satisfy you" I had a slight edge to my voice; one that I did not even mean to let slip. She relaxed visibly and nodded.
"I am sorry to judge you so quickly but we have been uneasy for so long." She bowed and left. I could hardly believe that I had snapped at her that way. Kyoichi smiled and began to talk to me. I drifted in and out of his words, not really listening.
"Are ye certain ye be okay" I jumped slightly and looked at him. Then I nodded.
"I suppose it just feels odd being here and in my original form." I took a sip of the warm tea. "It is hard to think that being here is...going to end." Kyoichi's smile remedied my anxiousness.
"Ye best drop by with that mate of yers. I wish to meet her." I nodded.
"I will be sure to." Our conversation was cut short as Kuronue, Yuusuke, and Hiei respectively came through the door. I had half expected the koorime to be first.
"I'm hungry. Is there any more food left, Kurama" Yuusuke asked in a joking manner. I nodded.
"I made sure to save enough for those on my good side." Hiei rolled his eyes at my antics and sat down in the corner. He still looked weary. I did not know if that was the effect that Makai was having upon him or if he did not sleep well enough but I knew that it would be hard for him to leave this place. Then again, the only reason I left last time was because I was unconscious and my mate had come to fetch me.
"I be certain that I will take ye all to the castle." I looked over at my neko demon friend. He had a serious expression on his face. "They know that I would not betray them. There be rumors that someone be willing to take the lord's life." Yuusuke raised a brow.
"Take his life? What do you mean? Who would do something so stupid" The spirit detective asked. I was wondering the same myself.
"The lord has to be protected by a normal demon-sized army. There is no way anyone would kill him without being caught first." I muttered, shaking my head. "It does not make sense." After five minutes of pondering, someone stepped into the tavern in a cloak, wearing jeans and white sneakers. The scent drifting toward me...no. It could not be. The hood fell back to reveal... "Botan"
XxXxX
Sorry to leave you at a cliffie! I just had to update. Besides, I will try my best to update as quickly as possible.
Please review!