Disclaimer: I do not own BB, just the OCs.

Summary: The war between two empires has gone on long enough. Now the Emperors pass down their grudge to their grandchildren. But what happens when they find themselves escaping their worlds, and finding love between one another? Pairings

Chapter 13

Youkai

The week of morning runs to the forest were not the way Mika and Kai had preferred to wake up. Each morning and a few times at night, Mika would have that strong feeling in the bottom of her stomach. Kai started to worry about her health and forced her to stay in the tent one day. The village physician had taken a look at her a few times, but he hadn't really come across any illness of hers. Mika had assured him time and time again that he was fine. That never eased Kai thought, no matter how many times Mika told him.

And as Kai rode his horse amongst the small group of ten Dragons going on this hunt, his mind still floated back and forth between Mika and his given predicament. Strange enough, no prey were detected in the area; even the birds were gone and the air was still. Takao, riding aside his brother, looked backed to see the Prince staring off into space. Pulling up his horse, Takao waited for Kai to catch up unconsciously.

"Is something ailing you, Kai? You look as if your mind and body are in two separate places. Is it Michi? Her morning illness?" asked Takao quietly. Looking up and at the dragon with his wine-soaked eyes, Kai nodded his head rather lethargically.

"It troubles me constantly. She keep telling me otherwise that nothing is wrong with her. But, but I don't believe her. Something is different about her. I can sense it," replied Kai.

"She's a strong girl, Kai. She'll be capable of standing on her own two feet," smiled Takao. "Now, before my brother barks… do you sense anything yet?" Kao looked ahead of the group and focused, but the woods appeared to be bare, not an animal's body warm in his range.

"That is strange, there is nothing here…" Suddenly the horses started to dance under them. Trying to rein them in, their attempts were futile. That was when Kai sense something approaching, something large.

----oooooo----

Holding the baby in her arms, Mika rocked him to sleep while Hiromi took out the used clothing to be washed. Glancing over towards the sleeping figure, Cybil appeared to be resting from a troublesome night. The baby was a handful when Mika had taken him from the saggy-eyed mother; she couldn't imaging what Cybil and Hitoshi had gone through last night.

Leaving the tent, baby in arm, Mika started to take a little stroll through the little makeshift village. A few women were knitting with some sheep's wool they had traded a wandering peddler for. Others were conversing in their own tongue, giving Mika an occasional glance here and there. All which she of course ignored.

Beo and Dranzer were resting aside of each other by their tents, eyes closed and appearing to be sleeping peacefully. Walking past them, Mika was coming to the nearby stream where the women took their washings. She spotted Hiromi far enough away from many of them. A large portion of the women their age avoided and despised Hiromi because she lived with their Takao. Hiromi avoided them because they hung all over the dragon.

The baby woke up and started to yank on Mika's hair lightly. At first it was cute as Cybil's baby gurgled and giggled, his eyes wide with fascination. Mika laughed on with him and dared to try and remove his hands from the hair. The baby's grip was tight and he stated tugging harder than before.

"OUCH! Let go!" she exclaimed loudly. A few of the women turned to laugh at Mika, dropping their wash into the stream. In their own language, they were laughing how the 'stupid one with the Houou" was careless around babies. None would help the poor girl as her hair was being yanked out in chunks, until Hiromi looked up.

Dropped her own wash, she ran over to Mika, and helped her untangle the baby's fingers from the ookami's lock. He only giggled once he didn't hold onto Mika's hair anymore, sticking his feet into his mouth.

"Thank you Hiromi."

"No problem-" Hiromi was cut off by the sound of crying birds flying from the trees. Everyone was hushed as they watched the birds flee rapidly. Mika felt a pressing against her back. Turning around it was Beo, with Dranzer on his shoulder blades.

:: There is a youkai near,:: said Dranzer firmly towards Mika. :: The animals are frightened, it must be close and in that direction.:: Dranzer looked back the opposite way the birds flew. It was towards the camp, the same direction that the men had gone to hunt.

"Kai…" gasped Mika, her fast turning a ghostly white. She shoved the baby into Hiromi's arms. "Take him!" Mika dashed as quickly as she could towards the village. Hiromi held the baby confused.

"Mika!" But Mika was running fast, Beo flanking her right and Dranzer on her left.

She couldn't think straight, her mind was a big rush of panic. Kai could handle warriors, armies, and bandits, but a youkai?! Weren't they suppose to have been destroyed? News that the Houou Sorcerer had managed to destroy what was left of them! Houou…Kai was the Houou prince! The youkai would surely want him dead! Mika's heart raced even more.

Rushing through the village, Mika and the two guardians dodged the squawking children and women who hadn't gone to down to the water. Cybil emerged from her tent to see Mika slide into the tent and exit with her Hiraikotsu looped over her body. Cybil wasted no more time and rushed over towards the girl.

"What's wrong?" asked Cybil, stopping next to Mika's horse. Mika quickly pulled the bridle up and over his head, swiftly adjusting the necessary straps. She dint' both with a saddle this time.

"Dranzer just said the men are endangered. They are about to cross paths with a youkai any moment! Help me. Please just boost me up." Cybil did so and Mika sat comfortably astride the beast. "I'll be back, don't worry Hiromi." Mika fathered her reins and kicked the animal, causing him to jump into a gallop. Beo and Dranzer followed.

Maneuvering at such a fast pace though the woods Mika strained to keep her grip on the horse's side. With Dranzer's help they were able to locate the men quickly. And luckily, there was no youkai.

"Kai! Takao!" she shouted as she spotted the men in the clearing. The men all turned to see Mika at the blazing speed towards them.

"Michi?" Sliding to a stop, both Mika and the horse tried to catch their breaths. Dranzer flew and landed on Kais' shoulder; Dragoon uncoiling his miniature body from Hitoshi's arm and Beo slid next to Mika.

:: I just sensed the presence of a youkai here. I told your girl, and we came to warn you,:: declared Dranzer calmly. Dragoon narrowed his eyes into slits. He too had sensed it, but the thought of it being a youkai…

"But Boris killed them all," firmly stated Kai. Beo shook his head. The horses started their dancing again. Beo had a hard time dodging the flying hooves. There was a snicker heard amongst the tree line.

Twenty-four eyes appeared glowing in the shadows, as the humans were able to regain control of the frightened animals. The laughing grew as fear filled all. Hitoshi grabbed his swords, holding it tightly in his grasp. A fifteen foot long, hairy spider leg stomped through the tree line. A few of the younger horses skittered as the stomp shook the ground.

Another pair of legs appeared as a large black head with eight ruby red eyes emerged from the tree line. A second head slowly drew aside of him, and a third one not far behind. Mika's horse spooked at the youkai, jumping into Kai's horse. Standing so close, Kai gripped onto Mika's hand, which was raised to a handle on her weapon.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" asked the middle head, Oni-supada.

"Looks like a couple of lost dragons," declared the one of the right gazing through the group with his own eight eyes.

"Wait, that one smells different," stated the left one. Oni moved in closer, causing the horses to scuttle in the other direction. "Wait! I know that smell! He's an Houou! Not just that… he's the Imperial Prince!"

"That settles your fate then. Your stupid sorcerer somehow got the powers and capability to kill off youkais. Not that I understand how a mere human could do that. But you shall feel what our kind felt."

Kai narrowed his eyes as he drew out his sword. The rest of the men did so as well and Mika held onto her Hiraikotsu.

:: I can handle this… get her out of here.::

::No you cannot. Dragoon and I are the only ones capable of surviving with this conflict if we battle. We have powers mortal don not possess!:: firmly declared Dranzer, ruffling her feathers.

:: What of Beo? You did not mention him.::

But Dranzer did not get the chance to respond as the youkai shot a thread of its deadly webbing. One man wasn't quick to dodge it and his and his horse's screams drowned out all else in the area as the acid was burning them. Within a minute, they were gone.

"Run Michi! Takao, get her out of here!" shouted Kai. Slipping the weapon back over herself, Mika directed her horse to run around the youkai. Kai charged forward as a few archers started shooting towards the youkai. The rest of the men, lead by Hitoshi and Kai, charged towards the youkai, just missing another hit by another shooting of web. Dragoon created a whirlwind to deflect it, while Dranzer flapped fire balls from her wings towards the heads of the youkai.

With all the distractions placed on the three headed youkai, Takao and Mika started to head around them. Running their horses passed, with Beo in leading, they carefully tried to avoid confrontation. That was until one of the spider legs knocked both riders off of their horses. Spooked, the two raced even faster; Beo looked back just in time to see he had to run faster to avoid their deadly legs.

Tumbling into a bush, Takao felt himself being snagged and unable to move. Mika on the other hand was falling to the ground until one of the legs caught her, pulling her up in front of his face, halting Kai and the dragon's in their spots.

"Well, well, what a turn of events for you," said the middle head. Kai felt his rage growing, the fire inside of him building. That voice was growling louder and louder.

Jumping onto his own two feet, Kai ran, charging to the youkai. That was when his sword lit up in fire. The right head noticed this and swung one leg, hutting the rampaging and thoughtless Kai square in the chest. Dropping his sword, Kai smacked hard into a tree trunk, losing his consciousness.

"Kai!" screamed Mika, dangling by her arm. Hitoshi and his men charged forward again, but millions of two foot tall spiders appeared around them.

"Hmm… seems as though the Prince is foolish. Blind rage from a human only equals his own death… well can't let a perfectly tasty meal go to waste…"

The youkai stretched out a leg to grasp Kai. But as the spider was closing in, Kai's body pulsated, halting the youkais. Kai's eyes snapped open, but instead of his normal crimson eyes, they shined a brilliant purple.

"What the?" started Oni-supada as the same fire that had surrounded the swords ignited around the Prince's body, spreading like a wildfire and stretched out high and wide.

The youkai still held Mika in his grip as the beast backed away from the inferno slowly. Then Kai was lost in the flames entirely. Mika and the rest of the dragons just stared at the inferno, dumbfounded.

When the flamed extinguished themselves, Kai wasn't there. Instead rested a large phoenix the size of an elephant. It's body illuminated an organ fading to red. Three long feathers expelled from his head, and a human face who also dawning the same purple eyes had grown just above the other set of eyes. His wing span was massive as was the creature's long tail feathers. An eerie magenta aura surrounded his entire frame.

"Ka…Kai?" choked Mika in disbelief. The youkai stood on his talons, and opened his razor beak, screeching into the sky. Lower his head back down, the face's mouth shifted into a smile.

"Well, what are you looking at?" asked the phoenix. His voice had changed, it was deeper and more twisted than the old voice. Dranzer and Dragoon rapidly herded the dragons and made a way for them to return home. Dragoon went to blast Takao free from the thorny prison. Oni-supada looked at the other heads.

"You did catch us off guard. But your blood exposes you aren't a full youkai, Hanyou," he said. With that dirty blood in your veins, whelp, the victory for us is a given. After we devour this one though…" They all looked back down toward Mika, who gulped and was unable to reach her Hiraikotsu. The Hanyou snapped his wings open and soared. Not anticipating such speed from the large creature, the hanyou slammed into the body of the spider. Mika felt the grip on her loosen and took her chance. Grasping her Hiraikotsu, she swung it, slicing off the leg.

Mika fell to the ground in a heap. Dranzer and Takao were the first to get to her. In a daze, the ookami princess looked up to see the large phoenix hanyou pinning the large spider-youkai against a grouping of tried. She was still in disbelief. Dranzer threw some more fireballs at the smaller spiders approaching them, disintegrating them. Mika couldn't take her eyes off of the battling two. The spider shot his webbing at the phoenix, who soared away just in time.

"Come on Mika!" said Takao, helping her up to her feet. Dranzer nudged her, and Takao started to drag her towards where Hitoshi was waiting in safe area. The rest of the hunting part had been able to get back to the camp to warn the rest of the people.

"Dranzer, what happened to him?" asked Mika reaching Hitoshi and looked back at the battle sight. Dranzer landed on a branch near the ookami girl, Dragoon resting next to her.

:: I was hoping this would never come to be… ::

"What do you mean?"

Meanwhile, Kai and the youkai were still at it, Kai zipping past him, cutting open the youkai's sides with his beak and talons. The taste of blood sent his sense wild. The blood tasted of the elixir had had been craving for. More, he wanted more blood shed.

Spinning back, Kai richotted off the spider multiple times, not allow the youkai the chance to feel each individual attack differ from the next.

Satisfied that he was weak enough, Kai soared above the stunned youkai, and his whole body lit up in fire as he dived down. Slicing right through the center of the youkai, the spider fell to the ground splitting in half. Kai rested on the ground, blood covering his face, chest, and talons.

This felt natural, good, satisfying, lustful. The blood. More, he wanted more. He wanted to bathe himself in it and absorb the warmth right out of the liquid. The warmth, the heat, he felt it no more. No, he wanted it back. Turning his regal head, the phoenix spotted the three humans, phoenix and dragon.

Turning around to face them, the human face licked his lips looking over the humans. Dranzer soared towards Kai as the larger of the two phoenixes opened his beak, afire inferno pooling inside and shooting out. Dranzer mimicked the same attack and the two phoenix's held their ground between one another. When their infernos dispelled, Kai opened his mouth for another round.

:: Stop it Kai! :: demanded Dranzer. The human face just smirked.

"Kai? Who's this 'Kai' you speak of? I don't know him…" Mika's hands clenched together as Takao held onto her, Hitoshi growling aside of them.

:: You, my dear. Just stop and think. You are confused inside and I take full responsibility for that. Just halt your actions and I'll explain all you want… ::

"All I want? All I want is more blood. I want its warmth. Unless you spill yours I shall do as I want," declared the phoenix. "Now step aside Phoenix as I take my prey…" Mika held back her tears, as Dragoon started to soar back over towards Dranzer, ready to aid her. Mika ripped out of Takao's grip and darted past Dragoon.

"Michi!" cried Takao. But the girl was running forward. Dranzer was surprised when Mika passed her position. Running to the large phoenix, her tears threatening to fall. Mika stopped a foot away from the Phoenix, who was just as surprised to see her so close and daring.

"You don't really mean that do you? You don't want us dead… me dead? Do you? Don't you know who you are? I know who you are. You are Kai Hiwatari, heir to the Enpaiahouou throne. You saved me from your oji-san. You've always been at my side to hold me and to hide me. I am yours. I love you. You love me. Please remember…"

The Phoenix's hard eyes started to soften as Mika continued, lowering his head towards the ground at her level.

"M…Michi?" There was his old voice back. Smiling, she walked the rest of the distance, placing her hands on the sides of his face. He seemed to melt at her touch as the tension between the two drifted away. "What… what happened/ What am I? I… I don't remember anything."

:: Listen to me, Kai. This is your true form…:: said Dranzer. Mika leaned down and kissed just below the human face. Kai pressed into her. He was so confused. Nothing made any sense to him. Why was he like this? What was he? Why was he covered in blood? The large phoenix continued to press into the embrace as Mika leaned to hug him tightly.

The warmth, the warmth of Mika's body felt delightful as his senses tingled as the heat radiating off of the girl absorbed into his body. Mika started to feel weaker as chills came over her. But she couldn't break away from him. Takao, Dranzer, Dragoon, and Hitoshi noticed her discomfort and started rushing towards her, unsure exactly what they were going to do.

"Kai…" But Kai had closed his four eyes, enjoying her body heat. The voice had returned to Kai's mind, chanting in his ears, blocking out Mika's faint cries of plea. "Kai…" The voice continued to talk to him, egging on the sudden rush of fire inside him. "KAI!"

Kai snapped his eyes open, Mika's hands were still attached to the side of this head. The voice in head took over, and Kai's body lit up in flames once again. Mika screamed in pain as he hands were being burned by the fire.

:: KAI! :: Mika was able to let go of the phoenix and fell backwards in pain. The large Phoenix shook his head, screeching as if he was fighting something, someone, himself. Spreading his wings, the beast flew away, leaving Mika on the ground, looking up with tears in her eyes.

"Mika!" cried Takao, reaching her. Mika continued to watch her love fly away into the sky. The four surrounded her. "Let me see your hands." Mika cringed as she opened up her hands, revealing her palms to have been scorched with deep burns. Takao's eyes popped out of his head. "Come on, we must get you taken care of now." Hitoshi scooped her up as they ran back to the camp, Takao grabbing the last horse as they passed by.

----oooooo----

Running into the camp, the men were lined up to attack, but seeing the group, they were slightly eased. Hitoshi rushed Mika into her tent, Dranzer flying in after her, Takao and Dragoon rushed to get the physician, and Hiromi bursted into the tent wondering what was going on. Then her eyes crossed the princess' hands and her mouth shut tightly.

The physician ran in with bandages and herbs gathered in his arms. Dragoon and Beo entered the tent as well. The Sacred ookami had his hip and hind right leg wrapped as he limped into smell and see his girl's burned flesh.

Mika continued to bite her lip as the physician asked for her hands. Dragoon halted him as Dranzer landed on Mika' arms. Leaning down and over her hands, Dranzer let a few tears pill out and onto the burns. Sizzling as they touched the tender flesh, Mika choked on a cry, as she pulled her hands back to her body protectively because of the pain.

"Hold out your hands," said Hiromi softly. But Mika shook her head 'no' and curled up into a ball. The physician took out a leather strap from his medical pouch and said a few words to the Kinomiya brothers, handing Takao the 'strap.

Hitoshi quickly snaked his arms around Mika's shoulders, pulling her to the ground. A few other men were surrounding them, as Takao placed her head on his lap. The man held down her bucking legs and thrashing arms, placing her hands palms up. As Mika screamed in protest, Takao slipping the leather across her teeth.

"Bite down, Mika," he hushed, as she was letting out muffled screams. Beo growled towards them, but both Dragoon and Dranzer blocked him.

The physician mixed some herbs in water and soaked the other ones in the solution. Taking the herbal leaves, he placed them on top of the tear soaked burns. Mika's eyes widened as tears flowed out in the pain. She screamed and bit down onto the rough leather as Takao and Hiromi continued to talk her through it all the pain. The ookami princess tried to pull her hand away, but the men were stronger.

After placing five leaves over one hand, the physician wrapped her hand tightly with two layers of cloth. Mika's chest heaved as they moved onto the other hand, continuing the same process on her other hand. Hiromi continued to stroke Mika's sweat soaked hair, when Cybil ran in demanding to know what happened.

Tying off the last knot, everyone let go of her as Mika twisted to cry into Takao's chest as he held her, Hiromi stroking her back in a motherly manner. The physician gave Takao instructions to tell Mika. Everyone but the three Kamigami, Takao, and Hiromi took their leave from the tent.

"I…I don't understand," cried Mika. Dranzer wilted her head as Beo's eyes fixed on her.

:: I owe you an explanation,:: she said towards all, but Hiromi, who was use to the fact she couldn't hear the three like her friends. :: It is a long story, that started before any of you were born… ::

I'm so getting into this story now! Whoot whoot! oo bad Kai... -.-;;

longer a myth...
lil phoenix