Fuyu: Chapter 3: Preparations for…
Christmas was approaching quite fast and I still had to think of some thing to get Shinnihaku. My mother and I had spent many hours looking for something but I had yet to find something. So it came down to this, I was going to take Shinnihaku down town to look at what shops had. What ever she found that she liked I would get for her for Christmas.
There was just one problem with this plan. Shinnihaku had become more and more used to being intimate with me around others. This could be a problem if any one from my school recognized us down town, which was becoming a more and more likely occurrence. So I had to warn her to limit it to hugging whilst people could see us. Not that I disliked her but unneeded attention from the school board and such would be trouble some. I was going to tell her all this before we left and we were going to do this today. I wasn't going to tell her it was to get a Christmas present for her, I would say I was running an errand and would do the errand while passing by many different shops.
After class, as we walked home, I asked her I she wanted to go shopping with me and she agreed so we went over to the train station instead of towards home. On the way I explained why she couldn't be as intimate and what the precise barriers were. She nodded her way through it all so I wondered if she really heard me, but I had nothing else to go on so I accepted it.
As we walked down the streets we saw all sorts of shops, but Shinnihaku didn't seem interested in any of them. I slowed down our pace a little and headed towards the more 'feminine' shops. Even there, though, she didn't seem interested in them. That is until we passed one shop.
This shop was not an ordinary shop. It seemed to handle only relatively rare and exotic items. But Shinnihaku seemed to have her eyes fixed upon a dress in the shop. It didn't look special, but I could tell that there was something more about that dress. Since Shinnihaku liked the dress I would be sure to buy it for her, although my parents would most likely help me, with or without their knowledge.
My ulterior objective complete we went to go get what I had originally claimed I was getting before heading home. On the way home Shinnihaku fell asleep on my shoulder, as she seemed to do every time we went shopping, and to some degree when we went out. I just let her because it didn't harm me and she looked really cute like that.
When we got home I gave my mom the thumbs up. She smiled and nodded at me. I took Shinnihaku up to my bed and kissed her on the lips to wake her up. It had the intended effect, though not in the intended method. She woke up, but instead of either respond to the kiss or pushing me away, she pushed me down and kissed me. After a couple of minutes she seemed to come to her senses and stopped, but she seemed different some how. Not understanding it, I chose to ignore it and moved onto doing my homework with her. We completed that in a rather short time because I had been getting much better at all of my bad subjects like history and English.
"Now as a reward…" Shinnihaku gestured for me to lean in. I did and was surprised at how swiftly she moved in and kissed me. "That's for doing such a great job today."
"Thanks, Shinnihaku. I can only do it because of your teaching though. Without you none of my recent accomplishments could have occurred." I declared seriously, but Shinnihaku just laughed and smiled. "I'm serious." I declared but that just seemed to make her laugh harder.
"You learn through physical methods. Any one could have caused these same breakthroughs, though I might have been particularly effective." She said grinning as she stepped over towards me.
"What does that mean?" I asked her as she pushed me down onto the bed.
"It means you learn by this sort of thing." She said as she kissed me in a way she had never done before. "This is your instructor."
Her kisses both intoxicated me and aroused me and I couldn't understand how she had become like this. I was not only shocked but also impressed and as she continued I was entranced by her kisses and her touches.
My body was so finely attuned to her touches that I was moaning under her control. She removed my shirt and had me tamed to her touch, and then it all stopped. My senses returned and the pleasure died away. Shinnihaku backed off and I looked at her.
"What did you do to me?" I asked quite shaken. "How did you do that?"
"Like I said you are taught by physical methods. Body contact, especially pleasurable contact, teaches you things that words never could. If you had dated another girl you would have improved as much without me." She said almost disappointedly. "You shouldn't act as if I caused your improvement."
"But it was your physical contact that caused it. Not someone else's. I don't care who could have done it. You did it and that is what matters to me." I declared. "Don't belittle your influence just because another could have caused it. It was your doing and it is your place to take credit for it."
"But I…" she stumbled over her words.
"No excuses. No come and give your student a different kind of lesson. I was shocked by what you were doing before, but I liked it. I wouldn't mind your continuing down that road." I said smiling. "And that was something I doubt any human girl could have done to me."
"Your right. Angels can produce some effects that humans dream of." She said as she pushed me down again. "But with you, you get to feel it."
She went back to what she had been doing before and I passed out because of her touches. In my dreams she was there as well, looking over me until morning when we awoke. When I awoke I noticed neither of us had a shirt on and I had little reddish pink marks all over my body that I attributed to Shinnihaku getting a little carried away. To make it up to her I made a few of my own all over her body before taking a shower. Not to long afterwards Shinnihaku barged in still with no shirt on almost crying. She jumped right into the shower almost immediately and then she noticed me with out a scrape of clothing on. I blushed a deep red and turned away to hide some of my body.
"What's wrong?" I asked her turning the water off.
"N-nothing is wrong." She said stuttering and blushing a deep red hue as well.
"You told me you couldn't lie, and yet here you are lying. Tell me what is wrong all right? I want to help you." I said with great concern. "And because of the relationship we're in, it is my concern and business."
"I… I may be losing my angelic status." She said a little more calmly. "I don't know what would happen if I did because I'd still be a spiritual being, but since I've fallen for a human I don't know what to do."
"Relax. Do you think you will lose any status with me because you are not an angel? Don't you trust my interest in you? Why should it matter if you aren't an angel if I love you?" I asked her turning towards her.
"It shouldn't. I'm being stupid. Sorry for bothering you with this. I feel much better now." She said calmly as she walked towards the door.
"Take a towel. You still don't have a shirt on." I said and she covered her self before leaving the room.
Not long after that I got out of the shower and got dressed. Before I had finished Shinnihaku came in carrying a slip of paper. The slip of paper had an upside pentacle with a circle around it drawn in blood. Below that was a Sanskrit rune that I did not recognize but could tell it meant nothing good for us.
"I found this under our bed just now." Shinnihaku said gravely.
"That is not a good thing, right?" I asked confused.
"It stinks of blood magic. Dark black stuff. You wouldn't have anything to do with it would you?" she asked very seriously.
"No I wouldn't. But you do remember the demon at school? He probably practices this stuff with all the students and since I had an angel it made me a bigger target." I said as I put my shirt on. "If you want we can check on him today."
"I will do it by myself." She declared as she left the shower. "Go to school without me. I'll be back by dinner."
Well this had become interesting. I need to get her a gift and needed to take out a demon. A crazy day was ahead but I would get her the gift she desired. But that was going to be six hours later. Now I had to go to school for the first time without my tutor in over a month. Needless to say there were many questions and rumors flying around about why she wasn't there even though I declared she was just running an errand. Which she was, after a fashion.
The day proceeded smoothly with the exception of constant interruptions from both boys and girls, either asking me what happened or asking me out. I was thankful when the day had ended, but I also felt guilty, for I had broken many girls hearts today. Anyway I went over to the train station and rode downtown to get Shinnihaku her gift.
As I walked to the store I felt a gush of very cold wind that froze me to the bone. I continued my journey but the wind seemed to be getting more and more constant. Finally I made it to the shop. I walked in and instantly felt much warmer. I went and found what Shinnihaku had admired and bought it for her before going outside and running back to the train station and getting on the first train home. As I rode back I contemplated what to do to hide the dress until Christmas. I figured that letting my parents hide and wrap it for me was probably the best choice, as Shinnihaku wouldn't be able to detect any lie from me and wouldn't question my parents. As I walked home I was whistling some random tune before the sky began to darken. I ran home as fast as I could because I needed to check the time. When I got home my clock read that it was still early in the afternoon. I handed my gift over to my parents and went outside. Snow was falling and clouds eclipsed the sun but that wasn't what I was worried about. Shinnihaku's presence, which I had felt almost constantly since her arrival, had diminished. I went out searching for her because if she was right about her angel status diminishing then she might not be able to defeat the demon by herself.
I ran towards where her presence was as fast I could. I was panting before I even got close but I just kept on running. The snow seemed to be coming down even harder as I got closer. Some one or something did not want me to reach her, so it seemed. But I was not deterred. I rushed headlong into the dangers that were presented without so much as a second thought. As I neared though, I saw a huge fortress of ice. No one else on the street noticed it so it must have been Shinnihaku's spiritual nature rubbing off on me. I approached it and opened the doors. Inside I found what looked like a cathedral of blood made from ice. The pews all appeared to be black stone and the pulpit was bloodied granite. On the alter lay Shinnihaku, and although I did not see the Demon at the moment I was certain he was near. Streams of blood flowed from as if hundred bulls had been slaughtered right there and placed in a pit just below her. As I approached I had a growing feeling of dread and just seeing Shinnihaku didn't nothing to alleviate it. As I neared her I noticed she was not bound, but also that she was not conscious. Apparently whoever had captured her had made sure she wouldn't wake up before she was dealt with. The pulpit was glowing, or it looked like it, if a glow can be black. Suddenly snow started to billow in to the cathedral so I started to run to Shinnihaku, but just before I got there a previously invisible wall of ice stopped me. I battered at it but it proved impervious to all my attacks. I searched for something, anything that could break it but found nothing.
Finally, as a last usage of my energy, I searched inside my self for a tool that I could use and found one small thing. This small aspect of my life that I had almost entirely disregarded because it hadn't helped me before, my training by the great martial artist Daisuke. I found what he had told me when I was about top lose some thing that I really wanted but I didn't have the strength to get it. I was to let loose the loudest shout, loudest Kyo I could and then to instantly strike my barrier. Having nothing else I could rely on I did it. I let loose a shout like none I had ever released. It felt like my throat had burnt out but I didn't care. I struck the ice wall with no hesitation with all of the strength I could muster and it broke. The wall broke right where I struck it. It wasn't a hole one could fit through but I had damaged it I struck again and again with a series of Kyo in a circle before I punched the circle out. I slid through the gap and ran it Shinnihaku before carrying her out of the cathedral into the now snow filled streets and back towards home. But her body was so cold I hardly recognize it. As I carried it away I suddenly had an idea.
Her spirit had been diminished, right? And a lot of it had rubbed on to me, right? So why not try to rub it back? I leaned in and kissed her and a sudden rush of warmth hit her face. I could see a blush of color rising and some of her muscles began to move. I kissed her again and she was almost like a sleeping person. I began to run as fast as I could to carry her limp, sleeping body all the way home. When I got home I took her straight to my room and laid her on the bed and began again. Starting at the mouth I kissed her all the way down to her breast and paused there. As I planted my kisses Shinnihaku began to awake and become aware. But I didn't realize that as I continued down her towards her stomach. I didn't realize it, that is, until she started moaning. Then I stopped and she panted and gasped for breath.
"Geishinni! What? How? Where?" she said glancing around wildly. "I'm in your room, and I was asleep. Then you took advantage of me. PERVERT!" she screamed as I ducked under her blows as she tried to strike me.
"Cool it. Cool it. Shinnihaku do you remember what you did this morning?" I asked as dodged her assault. "You went to go defeat that demon? I just rescued you and it seemed like kissing you was the only thing that would wake you up." As I said this, her assault died down and she panted a little because of her exertion.
"That demon had more power than I did. I couldn't defeat it and it captured me. Taking it on was more difficult than I expected. Now I don't even know if I can take it on." Shinnihaku said looking terribly depressed. "I want him gone but I can't get rid of him alone. Why am I so weak?"
"Hey. Hey. Let me help you. I might just be a human but humans have been known for spiritual talents in the past right? And I did save you, right?" I asked while stroking her back. "I want to defeat this demon with you. Not alone, with you. Neither of could do it on our own right? I mean if had to go through one more barrier I would be able to speak right now, much less use my hands. Let's do it together, your spells, my mind, our hearts."
"You'd do that for me? You would help me, this bound spirit, this 'half angel' defeat a demon in its fortress, just to bring a smile to my lips?" she asked and I nodded. "You would risk your life for me? Why? Why would you do this for an angel that has fallen?"
"Because this 'angel that has fallen' is the woman that I love more than any other and she is the only one I would ever do this for." I said smiling down on her. "Are you ready to go now?"
"I might be, but you sure aren't. Look at you. Your entire body is covered in cuts and bruises, and it sounds like your voice box is on the way out." She said pushing me down. "Let me heal you. I think I can still do that. You haven't yet 'destroyed' a part of your body so accelerating regeneration should still be in my power."
I lay down and relaxed as she began to chant her spell. Then I felt my muscles and skin knitting them selves back together. My veins and arteries were repaired and so was my voice box. My voice box was not only repaired but strengthened and would now be able to project my voice even louder than before. Shinnihaku ended her spell and I sat up and grinned.
"You abilities in that regard haven't weakened." I said grinning at her. She grinned back and we got ready to go. "We'll have to bring some things, or else neither of us will survive."
After gathering some things we went out to where the cathedral was but we found nothing. Then we looked about for any signs that the demon had been there, but were also disappointed. Then we looked about for any signs that the demon had been there, but we were disappointed because these too did not exist. We went back to the school to find see if the 'teacher' had come back there. We didn't find him, but this time we were not disappointed. He had left a lot of clues to his presence there, from identification to credit cards to letters, most specifically from girls, both students, teachers, and those outside the school. We found out his address and followed people's directions to get there.
When we got there we were surprised by the size of his house. He had a freaking mansion! Bewildered we rang the doorbell and he let us in. after the gates opened we entered into his mansion and walked towards the main building. We opened the doors and entered in and we noticed to sets of guest slippers right in front of us.
"This is way too convenient." I complained. "There is no way that any one could predict our movements this accurately. And even if they knew our movements, how could they know our numbers."
"No idea. But let's take advantage of what we're given so that we do not fall behind him and can remain comfortable." Shinnihaku said cheerfully. "I have never been in a traditional Japanese house before."
We proceeded with caution down the hallway until we came to a set of doors that were unlocked and we opened them. We passed through the doors from a traditional Japanese house into a wicked world of cabalism. Shinnihaku looked horrified through out the entire walk we had, and while I couldn't blame her for most of it, some of it entranced me as stuff to do with Shinnihaku at some other time, quite a while from now. We proceeded towards a throne in the middle of all the chaos and when we reached it we saw the demon standing before us. I glared up at it and Shinnihaku readied for any action that it might attempt. But the demon just laughed, and grinned down at us. It almost seemed to be goading us onwards, and then I noticed something. Behind him, on the throne, was a charm. I knew it because I had seen the one that Shinnihaku was complaining about and I realized that the world we were in was an illusion created by that charm. I glanced at Shinnihaku and she had noticed it as well, so we both looked ahead and glared at the demon.
"You, my friend, are going to pay for hurting my girlfriend and my lover, and it will not be a pleasant feeling." I said coldly. "It will hurt like the flames of a thousand fires and the lashes of thousands of whips, for hurting those in my care is an unforgivable act. Please do not make it any more excruciatingly painful for you than it has to be, because I don't care much for what happens to you while I am seeking retribution."
The demon just laughed, but that was before Shinnihaku and I dashed towards not the demon, but the talisman. As he noticed Shinnihaku preparing a spell that negated talismans, he ran towards he and forgot about me. I ran in around his back and grabbed the talisman off the throne. Shinnihaku leapt over the demon and dispelled the talisman in my hands, banishing the illusion from my eyes. I was once again in a traditional Japanese house in the entrance to the room we had just opened the door to.
There stood the demon in front of us in its true form. It was a hideous beast vaguely resembling ghoul with large bat wings, but it had some very insect like features. Its head was similar to a spiders and it had a scorpion's tail. It had long blade like claws and a thin, almost frail looking, body that radiated power. I was almost horrified until Shinnihaku assumed her 'true form', which was like an eagle crossed with lion. She had the head and wings of an eagle but the body of a lion. Her body was muscular, but also very feminine, as if she was merely inside a cocoon of this beast. She reared up on her hind legs and her feathers locked and suddenly her eagle wings began to look like blades coming out of her back. I felt her presence around me, and I realized that I, too, had changed into some other form. Upon my back I had received the shadow wings and upon my body the shadow armor. Daisuke had told me of these at one time and although I doubt either of us could have known it then, but it was man's 'true form.' The wings were bony like a bat's yet feathered like a raven's. The armor was an amorphous suit of full plate with blades jutting out at random and it was constantly molding to suit my every motion. Even though I had no idea how Daisuke knew of this, I could see how he'd like it. I glanced at Shinnihaku and we prepared to attack.
Shinnihaku moved first, sliding across the ground swiftly while circling around the demon. Her feet moved so swiftly that they always looked like they were in the same position that they were in when she started and she had some how just hopped over the location where she had ended up though to me her movements seemed slowed. I followed in her shadow, because I knew, somehow, that she would alter her course last moment and it would give me an opening. She did as I predicted and I slid in low and punched, but it didn't come out a punch; for a blade jutted straight from my fist through where the demon was he had just jumped over my head so I had my blade follow him until he landed and got sliced in the shoulder, and Shinnihaku had already circled around and she struck at the same time using her bladed wings. His body held her fast though and he used the moment to strike her in the back with his wicked tail, causing a huge gash down it. I spun in place using my wings to cut his back apart and tear his tail off. Then I began a rapid succession of bladed blows to his back before sliding back away from him, as Shinnihaku had already backed off. As I myself backed off I realized I was covered in his blood. The ghoul of a demon had an incredible amount of blood and I had much of it all over the armor I wore.
I went to join Shinnihaku and use my armor to heal her wounds. She looked at me and nodded, although she had a pained expression; I knew she didn't like the thought of all the demonic blood entering her but she needed her back repaired. I placed my hands over the wound and some of my armor entered the wound and became part of the flesh. Her wings suddenly darkened and a bit of shadow played across her face. She had changed irreversibly and intended to make the cause of that change pay dearly. She moved even faster now so quickly that even with my accelerated senses I could hardly keep up with her I followed as swiftly as I could, but I couldn't nearly keep up with her. As she struck at the demon he cruised over her and went for me. I tried to defend myself he whip around me with his leathery wings and pulled me in before rending my back to pieces. My armor fixed the wounds with the excess material around, demons' blood, and I could already feel the taint slipping though my blood stream. Unfortunately for the demon, lovers' revenge was rarely merciful, and here it wasn't either. My armor emitted blades in every direction, as I broke free from his grip tearing him up as Shinnihaku dropped in from above and broke his wings. The taints in our blood streams were spreading fast and it was beginning to affect my judgment, that would have made me stop, but Shinnihaku was already about to do the same thing I was so we did it together. Our wing blade crossed each other as we severed his head.
As we reverted forms we began to cry. "We are done with him." I said between sobs.
"But at what a cost. I'm no longer an angel and you aren't even human. Look at you, you're hurt, quite badly." She said and I noticed that the demon had done so much damage that my back was unable to heal it self. I had a moment before I collapsed on the floor, unconscious.