Chapter 8: Storm of Emotions

Adina walked through the door of Youko's hut, relieved he wasn't there. She really did not want to give a full on explanation of why she brought her friends to his hut.

'Honestly, the way we argue, you'd think he hated me. Why is he so concerned with my safety anyway?' Until now, she hadn't actually thought about why he hadn't killed her.

'He was curious about my power, that's why he didn't kill me, but why continue to protect me? Unless he wants to use me in battle, but that doesn't make sense either!' she thought frustrated.

"Adina, you ok? You look upset," Douji questioned.

"No I'm fine, just a little confused about some things, that's all," she answered half-heartedly.

Shouen looked up from putting down the clothes she had carried with her. The look on her face clearly read that she wanted to know what was going on with her, and had some idea of what was going in her head.

She sighed to herself, as a defeated look crossed Adina's face before she asked the much-awaited question. "Shouen, what do you think Youko has in mind to do with me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. What do you think he will do with me now that he knows how powerful I am?"

Sighing, Shouen walked over to her and sat down on the bed they had just set up for her. With a serious look on her face, she turned to her, making sure they had eye contact before continuing.

"Adina, I have to say I haven't an inkling as to what is going on in lord Youko's head, for if I were him, and I discovered someone as powerful as myself, and ultimately a threat, I would've had them either killed or had them join the band of thieves. Seeing as he's done neither, he must have something else in mind. That, or something is standing in his way of making a clear decision."

"But what could cloud his judgment to something so simple, Shouen?"

"There are more factors in this besides what he should do. Whatever it is, you just have to hope that he makes a decision that is favorable for you."

Nodding at this, the three of them left the hut, making their way to the restaurant so they would be there in time to serve breakfast. Of course, to Adina, that would mean seeing Youko again.

'Great, just what I need. I'm so tired, and have no patience to deal with him, even though he is right that I do start the arguments.' Sighing, she followed the other two into the room, firmly turning down Douji's offer to apply make-up to her once more.

"But, Adina," she whined, "It looked so good on you, besides, we all have to wear it."

"Not today, Douji, I really don't want to have a bath after every single meal. Just let me not wear any for breakfast, and maybe lunch, but please, I really don't want any."

She was about to start arguing with her again, but Shouen intercepted her gaze, and gave her that stare that told you it would be better not to continue.

"Fine, be that way, but don't go complaining to me when you change your mind," she told her before she went to the bathrooms to ready herself.

"Good call, she really does over-apply with that stuff, but she can get creative when she wants to," Shouen laughed lightly at her friend's childish actions.

Smiling, Adina turned to change into the only kimono she had left behind for herself. The plain, comfortable material suited her just fine today, since she really didn't care about dressing up for a meal.

Reico turned to face Youko, explaining to him why he was going to leave.

"Only for a couple of days then?" Youko asked trying to sound concerned.

"Yes, I unfortunately have found something that draws my attention and needs tending to. While I am out, I will receive news from Kurounue. Is there anything you would like me to pass on to him?"

"Actually yes, there is. Tell him to stop screwing around and get back here. Also add in that this sorry excuse for a raid doesn't hide the fact that he is a lazy, no good fiend that needs to get his priorities straight," Youko told him, trying to hide the small grin on his face, his eyes clearly taunting him.

Reico's eyes widened before he nodded, a nervous look on his face at the thought of speaking such words to his superior. Leaving through the gates, he called forth his minion once he believed himself far enough away from the camp.

"Tyko, what happened? Why do I smell human blood on you?"

"The humans decided not to remain docile and thought they could attack me," he hissed vehemently.

"Who did you wound? If you so much as…"

"Don't worry yourself Reico, I didn't lay a hand on the priestess. Though you better send someone else to check on her, for the next time, I might lose my temper."

"As long as you did not interfere."

"Now, master Reico, if you wouldn't mind, would you inform me why your primary concern is with this old woman? Besides the small amount of knowledge and spiritual power she had managed to possess, she is a weakling. What is the story behind all of this?"

"That is none of your concern!" Reico snapped impatiently. Continuing in a calmer voice, he told him, "Pass onto Kuronue that he is needed here. Convince him anyway you can. Then return to me immediately."

"An early development in your plan, I assume?"

"Maybe. But I found that there are some loose ends in the plan that need to be tied."

The room was slightly quieter that morning, and it seemed as though most of the fighters were either training or had left for a raid. It almost had a casual air to it, if the atmosphere wasn't destroyed by Douji and Mizu's constant bickering. It was becoming a routine to Adina really. She had been appalled by the constant bitchy comments that always seemed to pop up here and there.

But she found herself almost accustom to everything by now. It actually amazed her that she didn't notice much that went on as strange.

He probably was the only thing she wouldn't get completely used to. The cause of her current problems, and conflictions she had with herself.

Even at the first meal of the day, the arrogance that he displayed towards her, and what upset her most, was that he only acted that way around her. Youko actually seemed to be a calm, intelligent leader. But maybe she only felt that way because he seemed to naturally irk her.

She was interrupted from her thoughts when the topic of them began conversation.

"You seem better today. Tell me, did your friends enjoy exploring my room?"

She was startled that he had known about it, but then realized that he could probably could smell where they had come from.

"They didn't touch anything. We were only moving some of my things, which we wouldn't have to do if you had allowed me to stay there."

"I have already discussed this with you. I am sure you wish for your privacy, but I am hardly ever there, so you shouldn't worry," he told her without so much as looking up from his drink.

Sighing, she shook her head at his nonchalant attitude. This was her fate he was playing with, and she really had too much responsibility on her shoulders to trust these decisions to someone who only had his own intentions in mind.

"You know I could care less about this place, though you delaying my leave does not help with your revenge theory. Honestly, I would be less of a nuisance if I was no longer here," she tried once more to reason with him. But she received no change in answer.

"That is not my reasons behind not letting you go. Now that I have seen your power, I believe you can be quite some help to us."

She glared at him. "Well making me your prisoner doesn't exactly help convince me to help you in battle." It seemed very obvious to her. What still confused her was why he proceeded to follow the idea.

"You won't need to be convinced when my partner arrives. He and some of Reico's dark magic could easily control you. Your opinion won't be a factor. So instead of stirring up more problems for yourself, you should cooperate so that I will allow you some freedom."

No matter how real his words sounded, he was really bluffing. It was true that he was waiting for Kuronoe to arrive before making any decisions of her fate. But he had no intensions of making her a slave. The display of her strength she had showed him had proved a theory he had come up with the moment he first saw her. But now that he knew enough, he needed his partner for his background knowledge of the subject.

Sure, he could allow her to go, but he was still curious for some questions he knew only she could answer. And so, he would make an empty threat that he, his best friend, and a conniving demon he no longer trusted would make her a mindless slave to them, if only to scare her into not attempting to escape once more. That is, if she hadn't figured it out already. Yes, her powers to attack were now held back, but her ability to read minds should still be in working form.

Adina didn't know what to say. Part of her was shocked that such a fate was possible; another was suspicious of his true intentions. From what she had heard from whispers within camp during the meals, the one called Kuronoe was indeed returning any day now from something they referred to as a raid.

His explanation seemed truthful enough, but she couldn't be gullible since it was Youko who said it. As clever as he was, he could try to trick her into being harmless for a while, possibly the only time she could escape before his 'partner' arrived.

"If these are your true intentions, then why did you allow Reico to leave when your partner could arrive anytime now? If you were really meaning to subdue me with such a spell, I'm guessing that you would've already done it."

'Damn, she's quick,' Youko thought, 'That, or very untrusting. But then again, she would have to be that way in order to survive.'

Sighing, he glanced up at her, taking in the slight smirk on her face as she realized she had been correct.

"Having the power I do, I have had to be very clever over the years, otherwise I would not be alive and in front of you today. Though, I have to admit you actually had me going for a second. You must be really crafty to come up with something so original so quickly, that or you have thought about it for some time," she said grinning.

He was surprised by the way she had said that. She actually had a playful tone in her voice, as if she teasing him.

"Well, if you still had your mind reading abilities, then why did you even take a chance of not knowing if I was telling the truth? Surely you couldn't take such a huge risk," his eyebrow raised, trying to provoke an answer out of her.

"You are quite good at keeping the lie out of your scent, but perhaps I merely wished to discover what differences there was in you while you lied or told the truth," she said, looking quite satisfied with herself.

A thoughtful look crossed his face. Until then, he hadn't found a being of the same level of intelligence as himself. He immediately tried to blame it on the fact that she was a fox demon, but then again he had seen many of his kind that, though then did possess some bit of the wits known to the species, they could be down right arrogant and cocky. No, she was definitely different.

And in spite that most of their conversations were eventually and potentially arguments, he couldn't help but be in awe of her agility of the mind. The fact that she could figure him out so quickly after knowing him so little was astonishing in itself.

"You are quite clever yourself. But since you can't be so easily convinced of my sincerity, I will have to lower myself to ask you to remain here for a short while longer to satisfy my knowledge of you."

"So, you can't just accept the fact that there might be a being out there as strong as you. You have to study me in any way possible?"

Youko sighed in frustration. It appeared she wanted to be difficult today.

"Why must you take everything the wrong way? You merely spark my interest, and…" he stopped in mid-sentence when he heard something he didn't believe possible. She was laughing, and it was one of the most pure, easily listened to sounds he had ever heard. It was filled with no ironic pitch he had heard from her before, nor the scratchy, cackling noise most of the geishas possessed.

His eyes widened as he saw her face lit with mirth, and she laughed slightly louder, covering her mouth with her hand.

She couldn't help herself. Adina had been teasing again, and hadn't expected him to take her seriously. So she continued to laugh, trying to soften the volume by covering her mouth, but it only served to muffle the sound.

Thepsychic didn't think it possible to get his nerves for once, but boy did it feel good to hear the agitation in his voice as he tried to reason and explain what was already understood.

She was about to stop, when she heard him chuckle. And then it started up once more.

For Youko, this was two shocks in one day. His potential threat was practically dying of laughter, and he had found it humorous enough to join it.

When she realized what had happened, she came to a sudden stop. Youko was laughing, with her.

'Oh my god, what just happened. Weren't we arguing? No, then I was teasing him, and then…what? It was just too strange.' Now she was confused. He was laughing with her a second ago, wasn't he? 'What is going on?'

Just then, the clean up bell sounded through the hall, signaling her leave. While she normally believed the sound to be quite irritating, it had saved her from a terribly awkward moment.

Getting up to leave, she put everything on the tray in great haste. Taking a quick glance at Youko, she noticed he too was confused, and was looking at her for answers. She merely shrugged, trying to keep the torrent of emotions from showing on her face.

Catching up to Douji and Shouen, they made their way to the kitchen, as she took one last peak his way, the other two geishas looking wearily from her to the each other.

The rest of the day went without fault. The incident at breakfast was pushed into the back of both Adina and Youko's mind, as both still had no idea what had occurred.

Although Adina found it annoying and pointless, Douji had begun a large list questions concerning her discomfort around the thief. Shouen managed to remain quiet, however she knew what had occurred, since she had been serving someone nearby. Adina thoroughly appreciated her silence the matter, as she didn't have a real answer.

Her emotions were taking her on a wild ride, and though she was genuinely confused, a small voice in her head told her that she knew exactly what was wrong. She, however, refused to even consider such a thing. She had no feelings toward Youko, nor would she allow herself to get caught up in such.

What was wreaking havoc on the poor kitsune was that she couldn't come up with a better answer. There was no other possibility momentarily known to her. She just hoped that the actual reason wasn't what she was secretly thinking.

Youko's thoughts were along the same line as Adina's. He felt uneasy about it all. It wouldn't do to feel something for one as dangerous as her.

'And yet she won't leave my mind.' Usually, when he worked with his plants, it would help clear his mind of all problems that needed solving, but in this case, it only succeeded in giving him a throbbing headache.

So instead of fully concentrating on it, he pushed it into the far corners of his mind, and even though he couldn't remove her beautiful face, or cheerful laugh out of his head, it helped stem the pain that had built around his neck and shoulders.

And as dinner approached, both tried to forget all about earlier that day, though they both could tell that the other had been thinking about it. Yet all that was shown on their faces, hiding their inner chaos of their minds, was a still silence and a polite smile every one in a while.

A/N: Well, I said I was going to update quickly in the author's note, but I bet you wouldn't think in your wildest dreams that it would be this fast. But I did tell you all that I was almost done, so, no grudges. Hey, I know some of you didn't bother with the author's note, but one of the things I put in there is that I will be creating the sequel after all. Anyway, you know the drill.
R&R! Please, I believe I've earned it this time.