"Shall we be off then?" He asked her softly. Mayumi smiled and shook her head.
"Yes of course." She said and allowed him to lead the way. Mayumi had never
realized the lush forest that surrounded the establishment. She had always been
too busy worried about getting caught outside by demons who didn't care if she
was under Yoko Kurama's protection but today was different because she was with
him and he would protect her from anyone or anything.
"So where are we going?" She asked after they had traveled some distance.
"A place that I'm sure your going to love." He said without even glancnig at her.
"How far is it?" She asked thinking about Rin. She couldn't leave her for long.
"Don't worry about Rin nothing will happen to her. Everyone there knows better than to mess with her." Kurama
said as if reading her mind. Mayumi looked up at him and nodded smiling slightly. The pair walked on in silence
enjoying the summery weather and eachother.
'I don't what it is, it just feels right.' Mayumi thought to herself. Yoko stopped abruptly. His ears twitched wildly
as did his tail.
"Mayumi. We're going to make a quick stop before we proceed." He said grabbing her by the waist and jumping into a nearby tree.
"What are we doing?" She questioned curiously. The look on Kurama's face was that of deep concentration and excitement.
"Tell me Mayumi, have you ever thought of taking up theivery?" Kurama asked quietly. Mayumi stared at him stunned for a moment at the
question before she shook her head. Kurama caught glance of her strange
look and glanced over at her.
"That's an odd look. You did know that I'm a bandit right?" He asked.
"YES! I KNOW your a bandit kitsune!" She hissed out at him rolling her her eyes.
He put a finger to his lips to keep quiet. Mayumi looked down at the direction
he was staring towards and noticed a large coach approaching. The occupents were
apparently well to do. The coach was laden in the finest jewels. Mayumi's eye's
lit up as the setting sun reflected off of them making them shimmer. Guards surrounded
at the sides as well as the front and back protecting the cargo that was tied
to the back.
"This should be a skate." Yoko said softly to himself. He looked over at Mayumi.
"Are you in?" He asked. Mayumi shot her eyes back over to him.
"In what?" She asked inocently.
"The heist. Will you assist me?" He asked. Mayumi could see in his eyes that he
desperately wished for her to say yes but she was frozen. The words would not
come out. Kurama grew impatient as his prey drew closer.
"I am offering you a chance to show me what you are capable of Mayumi Taisho.
Do you know how many would do anything to prove themselves to me and here I am giving you
this opportunity without anything in return from you." He stated. Mayumi slowly nodded her head.
Kurama's serious expression broke into a cocky grin. He tossed a small
dagger at her which she caught.
"What is this for?" She asked staring down at the simple blade.
"To take care of the business at hand. I will get rid of the guards, you should
be able to take care of the occupents of the carriage." He said jumping down
in front of it.
The beast demons who had been pulling it bucked wildly as he landed softly down.
Mayumi watched eyes wide as the guards froze in their places and looks of horror crossed their faces.
Kurama simply stood before them statuesque in all of his impressive glory.
Mayumi's heart skipped as the setting sun glimmered off of his silvery hair
and flowed around him gracefully. His emotionless expression made Mayumi uncomfortable
but what scared her was his eyes. The way those golden eyes bore into the youkai
seeing through them as if they were nothing upset her greatly.
"ITS THE SPIRIT FOX!" One of them shouted bringing the rest and Mayumi out of their trances.
No sooner had it been shouted that Yoko sprung into action and produced what looked like a vine that he whipped around him
slicing through the guards as they fled. Mayumi watched mouth hung open as he killed them with ease.
"He's enjoying this." She said aloud as that cocky smile popped onto his
face momentarily but was soon gone. The door to the carriage opened and a young male stepped out.
Mayumi stared down at him stunned for a moment then she remembered Yoko's words
but would she be able to kill? Could she take a life? The he saw her in the
tree and his gentle mannerism turned to anger he reached into his belt and sprang at her with great agility.
Mayumi screamed as he tackled her knocking her from her perch. She fell to the
ground hitting her head against a small rock stuck in the ground while her opponent landed gracefully.
She watched hazily as he held a sword high above his head ready to slice her in half.
Mayumi grasped the dagger with out thinking and fling it at him. The dagger shot at
him at such a speed he had no time to move. Mayumi watched on the brink of
unconsciousness as the dagger struck him dead in his forehead and plunged in.
He let out a short cry before falling down dead. Mayumi got to her knees and stared at him sadly.
"I'm sorry." She said quietly brushing his bangs aside.
Mayumi stood and slowly walked towards the road. She stood some distance from the
carriage and the bodies as Kurama pillaged the cargo.
"What junk!" He exclaimed somewhat irritated. Mayumi walked over to him and stopped next to him.
"Nothing good?" She asked him softly and was ignored.
She stared at his cold demeanor and sadly looked away. This was how he truly was.
All these years around her had been an act. Nothing more.
"Ah-ha! I knew there had to be something worthy here!" Kurama exclaimed happily
producing a scroll. He undid the gold binding on it and read it over several times.
Mayumi cleared her throat to get his attention. His gaze quickly shot in her direction.
He stared at her for a moment as if surprised to see her there before rolling the scroll
back up and placing it in his shirt.
"My apologies. I was caught up in the moment and forgot you were here." Kurama said.
"You forgot about me! I was almost killed and you forgot about me!" Mayumi restrained
from screeching at him. Kurama smirked and walked towards her.
"You seem very much alive to me." He said amused.
"Yeah, well my head hurts and it's all your fault!" She said turning her back
to him.
"I can't imagine why except for the fact that you have a two inch gash on the back
of your skull." He said parting her hair to see it better.
"OUCH!" She yelled as his claws grazed the cut lightly.
"Don't be a baby." Kurama somewhat ordered. Mayumi glanced over her shoulder at him
and watched as he produced some sort of plant that looked like it had teeth. Mayumi
tried to jerk away but Kurama held her tight.
"Do you want me to tend to your injuries or not?" He said coldly. Mayumi stopped and
closed her eyes tightly. She felt a slight sting as he placed the plant on the back
of her head and it sunk it's teeth in to her skin closing the wound.
"It will die and fall off in a couple of days. In the mean time your hair will
cover it up." He said letting her long hair cascade down her back. She felt
him stroke it gently. She leaned back against him lightly and smiled.
"I love your red hair Mayu. It reflects that firey spirit that I am drawn to"
Mayumi turned to look up at him.
"Like a moth to an open flame." She said somewhat seductively reaching for a strand of
his silvery hair and wrapped it around her finger. Kurama stared down at her as she
smiled sweetly at him.
"So where is this place that we're headed too?" Mayumi asked. Kurama motioned
towards the horizon.
"It's too late the sun has already gone down."
"So?" She said feeling a pain go through her chest.
"This place where I was taking you it's best right at the moment when the sun sets.
Another time Mayumi." He said.
"Oh." Mayumi said letting go of his hair and looking away from him sadly.
"You don't have to go back."
"Where else would I go"
"With me. I'll take care of you, you know that."
"Yes Kurama. I know you would but who would take care of Rin?" She asked looking
towards him.
"We'll take her with us. Raise her, together." Kurama said somewhat surprised
at what he was saying.
'What have you done to me Mayumi Taisho?' Kurama thought to himself.
"You really think that your life style would be best for her Kurama?"
"How could it be any worse than where she is now?"
"We would only hold you back. Become a liability to you." She stated cuninngly.
Kurama looked at her somewhat surprised. His mind screamed for him to embrace her
tell her she could never possibly be a liability to him but quickly he regained
his composure.
"Yes. For once you are right. Come along then Mayumi." He said walking back
towards the tavern.
The walk back was even better than it had been earlier. During the day it had
been fun now under the darkened sky with the stars shining above them it was, dare
she think, romantic.
"Was earlier really so bad?" Kurama asked suddenly. Mayumi looked over at him.
"Was what?" She asked her usual self. Kurama didn't say anything to her only
looked straight ahead.
"The robbery?" She asked. Again he said nothing. Mayumi set her gaze to the
road thinking not saying a word.
"Wasn't there at least one moment where you enjoyed it?" He asked. Mayumi thought
and remembered the way Kurama had stood before those guards and the excitement
she had felt watching him rummage through the cargo. The satisfaction on his face
had made her feel alive.
"It wasn't so bad I guess." She said.
"Would you consider doing it again?"
"Along side you kitsune?"
"Of course." He said. Mayumi felt her stomach flutter at the thought of being
with Kurama outside the tavern in the Makai, side by side. Before she could answer
Kinta ran towards them and collapsed to the ground.
"KINTA!" Mayumi screamed and ran towards her friend. Kurama rolled her over onto
her back.
"What has happened to you?" Kurama demanded.
"Gavler..thought...you left...for good. H-he flipped...out Mayu. That b-bastard
let them at...at..." Kinta let out an exasperated yell and passed out. Mayumi
felt her heart pound madly in her chest. In a flash she was gone and running towards
the tavern.
"MAYUMI! GET BACK HERE!" She heard Kurama yell close behind her.
"RIN! HE LET THEM AT RIN!" She screamed over her shoulder. The tavern loomed
in the distance but no matter how close she was it seemed farther away not until
she broke through the back door and straight up the stairs did it seem real. She
stopped on the second floor and sniffed the air. Blood. Familiar blood.
"Rin." She whispered and bounded towards the back bedroom that was Kinta's.
Nothing could have prepared Mayumi for what she saw when that door slammed open.
A tall figure stood out of the shadows and glanced back at her hissing. The room
was splattered in blood. Mayumi saw beyond him laying on the bed was Rin mutilated.
Mayumi flew at him nails bared and jumped on his back. She kicked, clawed and bit at
creature. His wings unfolded and scratched her face as he grabbed at her to throw her off.
She bit the tip of his left wing when he threw her. He let out a screech as it ripped off
in her mouth.
"Bothersome wench!" He shouted grabbing her by the throat and hurling her into the wall.
Mayumi got to her feet but he was already gone. She walked slowly over to her little friend
and took her hand sobbing deeply.
"Mayumi." Kurama said softly taking her into his arms.
"No. I can't leave her. Not again." She cried hysterically. Kurama exited the room with her
with out another word.
"You were never meant for this place Mayumi Taisho"
creature.