Lucifer decided to hide out with Shikitai and Inuyoukai for awhile; she stayed in her priestess form for most of the time. The three had grown close to each other, laughing and keeping an eye out for who ever may be a threat. Half the time is was demons, just looking for some demonic fun. Other times, it was humans, wanting them out of "their" forest.
One day, the three were extremely bored. They knew they couldn't stay in the hut forever, the Lucifer's enemies would soon find her, and for some reason, Shikitai couldn't part from her.
"We should travel north," Shikitai stated out of nowhere.
This startled the other two, "Why north?" asked Lucifer.
"Well," Shikitai looked down embarrassed, "I always like north.
Inuyoukai stood up, "I'm getting tired of being here anyways and I think we should travel north."
So, it was settled. They packed their stuff up and headed north. After a few hours, Inuyoukai's stomach growled.
"We haven't eaten since yesterday," explained Inuyoukai, "we just up and left before we had."
So they had Lucifer, who had been in her priestess form since they left, go into the village, and find some food. Inuyoukai and Shikitai waited a few miles away.
"You've grown attached to Lucifer," Inuyoukai laughed.
"You know you have, too," Shikitai stated, keeping her cool.
It was true with them both; it was really hard not to get attached to Lucifer though. She was a ditz and a bit crazy at some points, but I think that's what they adored the most, even though it was hard to keep her out of trouble, with her stealing and lying to the local village.
Shikitai decided to climb into the tree and sleep for a bit. It only seemed a minute before her ears perked up. She had heard screaming not to far away.
"Thief!" screamed a slender man, but she couldn't tell what the thief looked like, though she presumed is was Lucifer who had stolen the horse. She jumped off the tree only telling Inuyoukai to stay there and she'd be right back.
What is she doing? Shikitai thought while jumping from tree to tree, trying to see if the thief was Lucifer, but she was wearing a hood, so finally she jumped on the horse with the thief.
"Alright, what have you done this time Lucifer," and she took off the hood, "You're not Lucifer."
Instead, it was a girl with short brown hair and brown eyes, "Why would I be?"
Shikitai just shrugged and bowed, "Sorry for the mistake," and the mysterious girl bowed back, "So why are you running away from those villagers?"
"Can't you hear with those demon ears, I stole something? I stole this horse, though technically they stole it from me."
Shikitai nodded, "I'm terribly sorry for that," than she realized the girl wasn't afraid of her, but trusting her, "You realize I'm demon, why aren't you trying to shoot me down or scream or something?"
"Well, you haven't tried to hurt me, and you seem harmless," the girl smiled, and pulled over the horse.
"Well, I had better be getting back to my companions," Shikitai said jumping off the horse, "Will you be alright, you know, with those villagers."
"Actually, I'm not to certain, you think I could travel with you for awhile?"
Shikitai agreed, she didn't want the girl getting hurt, "I'm Koji, and this is my horse and closest friend, Supi-do."
"Well, I'm Shikitai," she hesitated a bit before asking, "So why did they kidnap Supi-do?"
Koji didn't say anything for a minute, "That I rather not discuss."
Shikitai nodded, she wasn't ready to give out her past either, for all she knew, she worked for the people who were after Lucifer, but she figured she could take on her and who else was following. She doubted that anyone was following since she couldn't smell them or since any evil.
Thinking of that, she realized Koji had a nice smell to her, like a mix of strawberries and flowers, nothing evil, though she knew she'd still have to be careful.
They finally got to the spot to where she had left Inuyoukai to stay put, but she was no where in sight, Shikitai sniffed the air, she had just recently left, along with Lucifer, but there was other scents to, but she couldn't figure them out. With that she felt a bump on the head, and she turned around and saw the man that was after Koji.
"Stupid human," Shikitai growled and went for her sword, but her hands were grabbed by two more men.
"Wow, another demon, just like the one we found earlier, along with that priestess, the emperor will be please with them." Laughed the short fat man.
"I know, especially ones as lovely as these, and along with that one over there," said the tall slender one, "He'd sure to have fun."
"You piece of filth!" screamed Koji, "You know our emperor is nothing like that!"
"Your right, maybe he'll let us have them then," they all laughed, and Shikitai burned with anger, she twisted one of their arms and threw him against the other.
"Bastards," she said and went for her sword, but she got a knock to the head again and everything went black.
When she awoke, she was in a room with Lucifer and Inuyoukai, but something didn't feel right, she got up and woke up Inuyoukai, right when she was about to scream she put a hand over her mouth putting a finger to hers.
"Did they do anything to you?" Shikitai whispered and Inuyoukai shook her hand no, "How about Lucifer?" Still a no, she released her hand from her mouth.
Inuyoukai looked in the mirror and looked like she had seen a ghost, "My my" she stammered.
"What," Shikitai shook her, "What is it?"
"My clothes, they're gone!" Shikitai with all the excitement hadn't noticed the change of clothes. They were all wearing dress kimonos, "I'm wearing a dress," cried out Inuyoukai, and fell back.
Shikitai looked around for her clothes in a frantic, they had taken everything, including her sword, "Shit," she cried out.
She went over to Lucifer, who was also wearing a dress kimono. Lucifer stretched and yawned.
"How'd I get here?" she asked half awake. Shikitai explained everything to her, from the thief to the men, then she remember Koji was nowhere to be found.
Shikitai's heart raced and she tried to clear her head as she fell the ground, "We need out of here."
"No shit genius," Inuyoukai rolled her eyes and mourned for her clothes some more.
"I'm not leaving without Koji, she doesn't deserve to be here," Shikitai closed her eyes to form a plan.
"What?" Inuyoukai screamed and got to her knees, "Did you ever think once that she had leaded you here to be trapped? That she's working for those creeps!"
Shikitai glared at her sister, this is the first time they had ever fought, "You never met her, and I bet you could sense the good in her. She would never do this to us."
Inuyoukai rolled her eyes and fell back onto the pillows. Shikitai examined the room. It was a typical style room. Wooden floors with wooden doors, pillows all around, with a mirror to the side. She also realized there were no guards outside the door, but she heard screaming not to far away, but it was too far to hear.
Lucifer clacked her tongue, something that annoyed the sisters, "I can't think of a plan when you do that," twitched Shikitai.
"Sorry, but it's the only way I can stay calm," Lucifer laughed.
Only she would laugh at a time like this, Shikitai thought.
Just then guards came in and took them each by the arm. Inuyoukai and Lucifer fought, but Shikitai just let them take her, maybe they'll take us to the emperor or maybe even Koji!
Soon they were lead to the main room, where sure enough, the emperor was there. He was a big man, slightly on the plump side, with gray hair. Right next to them was a young girl who looked familiar to Shikitai.
"Did those men sell you to you!" screamed Inuyoukai, without thinking, "Did they dress us up will nice for your pleasure?"
"Inuyoukai," Shikitai said examining the princess, "Don't say anything."
Inuyoukai looked puzzled and waited for someone else to speak.
The princess stood up and screamed, "Let go of them! You're treating them like prisoners."
Just then, Shikitai realized who the princess was, "Koji?"
"I'm sorry Shikitai, I never meant for this to happen! I grantee those men didn't touch you in anyway, my personal maids changed you into what you are wearing!"
The guards let them go and left, "You took my sword, I'd like to have it back, along with my other things, and then my companions and I would like to leave."
Koji nodded and sent a maid for their stuff, and asked her father to let them be, "I want you to know, I had no plan on having you stay."
"You're a princess?" asked Shikitai shocked and unable to speak.
"Yes, and I hate it," sighed Koji, "That's why I ran away, and I had to take Supi-do, but they mistake me for a peasant."
"Oh, I understand now, that's why you couldn't tell me," Shikitai smirked.
"So," interrupted Inuyoukai, "I'd really like to have my clothes back and be on our way."
"Take me with you," begged Koji, "I can't stand be imprisoned here!"
"Depends," Shikitai said, "Can you defend yourself, or will we have to baby sit you?"
Koji made a slight smile, "I took on tons training with a sword, and besides, you already said I could go, what changes now?"
"I found out you're a princess, the wild is much rougher than a palace," Shikitai answered.
"Yeah," Inuyoukai added, "We don't need to be slowed down by you."
Lucifer jumped up and down, "Let her come! Please, it is nice to have a human pet with us!"
Koji frowned, "Pet? I'm not pet, and you're the one talk priestess."
Lucifer forgot all about being in her priestess form, so they explained about her being a goddess and what Inuyoukai and Shikitai were. After that, they made a plan to escape; the plan was mainly made by Koji.
They weren't going to leave right away, mainly because Lucifer didn't want to. Their stuff was returned and they were given the greatest hospitality.
"Why would you want to leave?" asked Shikitai that night before they went to bed.
"I told you, I feel imprisoned here, no freedom and also," Koji paused a second, "I feel like there's a traitor in the palace, and I think the source is outside the palace."
wow, now who could b the reincarntaion of Koji? Well, this isn't done yet, but i thought id put everyone in suspense, at first, i was just going to have them run away, but knowing lucifer, that would never happen! also, i think Koji needed more of a reason to run away, and what better one than a traitor