Chapter Six
It took Yoru slightly longer then expected but when she did find her way to the portal she was greeted with five relieved faces. Even Tsuki managed to open a half dead eye and give her a relieved smile from her perch on Kurama's back before letting her head slump forward again.
"Where have you been? We thought the demon might have come after you." Hinote said in frenzy.
"No, I just tried to follow fox boy there and got lost is all." Yoru said half-heartedly.
"If it isn't much trouble could we please get back to the temple?" Kurama said with a worried tone, "If we don't get this death plant out of her soon she will die."
This seemed to kick all their butts into high gear and soon they were all rushing up the stairs to Genkai's temple. Once at the top Kurama practically broke the doors down only to find Genkai, sitting at the foot of the giant statue at the other end, ready and waiting for them.
"I'm guessing things didn't go quiet as planned?" the old master said gruffly as Kurama laid Tsuki down on the mat she had set out.
"Shut up grandma and do something for her." Yusuke replied huffily.
Slowly Genkai walked around Tsuki's half dead form as if trying to figure out what was wrong even though the cause was apparent. Even so she took in everything about her patient starting with the cold sweat that had begun to issue from her, the occasional spasms of her arms and legs, and the long leafy vines that had begun to sprout from all her open cuts and even some recently closed ones.
"Seems the only way to save her will be to cut the plant from her and hope we don't kill her in the process." She finally said pulling out some very painful looking cutting tools, "Kurama, I'll require your help with this."
"Of course master Genkai." Kurama said.
"And the rest of you will have to leave. Also, no matter what you hear, don't come in."
With several mumbles and a few bowed heads the group left the room closing the door with a smart smack behind them. Once outside the entire group quietly made their way to the back of the temple where their rooms and the back garden stood.
"I hope she comes out of this ok. I may have only known her for little over half a year but she's grown on me." Hinote said with a sigh as he pulled a futon from his room on to the porch.
"Yeah, no kidding things really wouldn't be the same without her." Yusuke agreed with a small smirk that quickly became a pondering frown, "Still I wonder why that demon got under her skin so much."
"Guess we'll never know," Kuwabara remarked plucking an apple from the closest tree.
"There is one person who might know," Hiei replied surprising everyone that he hadn't run off yet.
"Really, who is it?" Yusuke said taking Kuwabara's lead and picking another apple.
"She's sitting not three feet from you." was Hiei's short reply.
Both boys nearly chocked on their fruits while Hinote just gawked at Yoru open mouthed. As for Yoru she merely hung her head hoping that she might disappear into the wood and rice paper walls.
"Is that true Yoru, do you really know what set Tsuki off?" Hinote asked propping himself up on his elbows.
"It wasn't just Tsuki; believe me, seeing him again set my blood boiling too."
"So, you both knew him?"
"Oh yes, and trust me when I say he hurt us both in more ways then one."
"How so?"
Yoru sat back for a moment thinking, "Oh God, where to start?"
"The beginnings always nice."
"Well it all started back when we were still new to the ninja business. We still lived in the cat demon village way off in the west…"
Flashback
"Tsuki, get back here." A young girl said laughing slightly as the friend she had been chasing through the forest on the other side of the village stopped and began swinging on the nearest tree like a monkey, "You know what my mom will say if I'm out past dark."
"Which mom are we talking about here Yoru, because last I check your dad was up to four wives and three girlfriends?" Her friend replied finally dropping from her perch.
"You know which one I'm talking about Su. My birth mother is the only one that gives a damn about me."
"That may be true but I also know that you don't give a damn whether or not you get back in time."
"Tonight's different. I have something planned."
With an awkward stare from her friend the two small cat demon began walking back to their homes in the village of the cat demon tribe.
"So what do you have planned tonight? New ways of leaving this place and starting our new careers?" Tsuki asked as they entered the marketing part of the village.
"No, not really. I kinda have a date." Yoru replied with a hint of red showing in her cheeks.
"Oooooh, your mom would be pissed if she found out."
"I know, that's why she's not going to find out."
"At least tell me who it is."
"Nope you'll have to guess."
Tsuki's eyes frowned as she began ticking off the boys in the village that would be most likely to catch Yoru's eye.
"The chief's son?"
"Nope."
"Kori from training?"
"Nope."
"Is it anyone I know?"
"Nope."
"Does he even live in the village?"
"Nope."
This stopped Tsuki dead in her track. Not only was it forbidden to even associate with outsiders and could be send a person strait into exile, but to actually be involved with one was to have both sentenced to a horrible death.
"Yoru that's dangerous and reckless beyond belief." Tsuki replied eyes opened wide but then becoming soft in a playful, encouraging smile, "That's my girl, I taught you well."
"Hey take it easy you only a year ahead of me." Yoru groaned as Tsuki messed up her hair.
"I know but a lot happens in a year. What kind of demon is he?"
Yoru quickly looked around and pulled Tsuki down so as to whisper it in her ear.
"He's a dog demon from the east. He told me that he, his brother, and sister worked for the demon lord Inutaishou."
Tsuki's eyes opened wide with shock at hearing this name. Even living in a cat demon tribe they had been taught to fear Inutaishou's name from birth. Their village had lost many great warriors to him and his sons Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.
"So you're going on a date with one of the assassins of the most dangerous lord in the east?" Tsuki said her eyes filling with tears before she throw her arm around the little blonde demon beside her, "I'm so proud of you Yoru, not even three hundred years old and already finding extremely strong potential mates."
By the time Tsuki had finished praising Yoru they had stopped in front of the small wooden house Yoru's family had built. Outside waiting for her was a small middle aged women in a deep blue kimono holding an infant in her arms and looking slightly worried. When she saw the girls, however, her face lifted to a slightly annoyed state.
"Yoru, where have you been?" said the women in a shrill voice.
"Out in the forest with Tsuki." Yoru replied, "I told you I was going about three hours ago."
"Yes I remember that, but I don't remember giving you permission to wear that outfit."
She was looking down at Yoru's black tube top shirt, bright red pants, and bare feet with a scolding look. Yoru merely shrugged she knew that it was pointless for her to try to tell her mom, for the hundredth time, why she couldn't run in the tight kimonos she usually made her wear. Without saying another word to her Yoru waved goodbye to Tsuki and walked past her mother into the house.
Several hours later after everyone had gone to bed Yoru quietly dressed herself in the clothes she had worn on her outing with Tsuki and grabbed her fathers' old, rusty sword from under her pillow. Quietly she maneuvered her way through the maze of futons and sleeping bodies to the door and the freedom of the open air. Once outside she took a deep breath before zipping off to the edge of the village. When she arrived there she leaned against the nearest house pillar and waited for her date to show his doggy face. After about ten minutes of waiting she heard a voice from somewhere above her.
"How long exactly would you of waited there?"
Yoru looked up with a start to see a pair of white ears hanging over the edge of the roof above her. She smiled vaguely as she noticed the black, fuzzy tips of the ears twitch as if catching a faint sound.
"I would have waited for at least another hour and then killed you the next time we met." Yoru replied with a small laugh.
She heard him snicker in response as if he thought that this feat would be impossible. He then grabbed the edge of the roof and flipped himself off landing with a dull splat in front of Yoru. He was reasonable tall with a red ninja outfit trimmed in black with spiky white hair tipped in black like his ears. His face seemed kind but it carried with it a hardness that was only found in people who have seen a lot of blood in their life but had come to enjoy it and wouldn't mind killing those close to them. She giggled at him even though that wasn't the first time he'd done something acrobatic like that. After all he was the one who taught her how to.
"So, where to tonight my brave little monkey dog." Yoru asked earning her an awkward glance.
"Not sure, how about a full form race through the forest?"
"That sounds great. After you Okune."
Almost immediately he dropped to all fours and began to change. First his hands and feet became black paws then he began to grow a pelt of thick, snowy white fur with a black main around his neck and black tuffs at the end of his ears and tail and the black rings around his eyes seemed to make the glow with an even more menacing brown gleam.
Yoru followed suit and sprouted her own pair of paws and pelt, hers being a vibrant golden brown speckled with black almost flamed shaped spots outlined in a deep red and a black blaze down her face also outlined in red.
Last one to the ridge has to shave themselves. Yoru said to Okune with her mind before bolting off into the forest without so much as a backwards glance
We'll see about that at the ridge. Okune replied before sprinting off after her.
After an hour of running Yoru finally stopped at the edge of the forest. She slowly stepped from the trees, still in her demon form, and walked around the edge of a large rock formation and found Okune laying stretched out on the edge of the ridge with his paws flaying in the air trying to swat are a firefly.
Hiya Yoru. What kept ya? Okune said in a half amused tone.
God damn you! How do you always manage to do that? Yoru remarked in a less then happy tone but still cuddled up next to him anyways.
I'm magic. Was Okune's simple remark as he swung a paw around Yoru.
As they lay there, staring at the newly risen moon Yoru couldn't help but feel content. But as she laid there she began to wonder how long it could last.
So, what have you been up to lately? You've been gone for a while. Has anything happened? Yoru asked trying to shake away the thoughts she was having.
Okune gave a depressed sigh before beginning, my brother left the team about a week ago. He said that he'd finally had enough of killing and that he wanted to try and make it on his own. Lord Inutaishou has put a bounty on his head but so far no one has even been able to locate him. He also ordered us to kill him and any of his associates on sight if any of us find him first.
Yoru looked slightly disturbed at the emotionless sense in which he said this. She was, by far, no stranger to killing but the thought of taking the life of a loved one was too painful to bear.
What about you? What's been happening in your life?
Same old, same old. Moms a bitch, dad has way too many girlfriends/ wives and there are way too many little kids in the house. But other then that Tsuki and I think we may have found a way of getting out of this cursed place. We got offered to go train with the demon lord Seiryu and possibly become part of his army.
When do you leave?
Tomorrow, we hope.
Then I'm glad I got to see you again.
Okune…
Slowly Yoru transformed back into her other form and watched as Okune did the same. They stared at each other for a moment, Okune with a mild curiosity and Yoru with a hint of nervousness.
"What is it Yoru?" Okune asked.
Yoru didn't answer but slowly drew herself up to him and pressed her lips to his in, what she had hoped to be, a meaningful kiss. But she was abruptly cut off when she felt a hand collide with her face forcing her to the ground.
"What the hell are you doing you sick, demented cat? I'm a fucking dog demon our species were never meant to mate!"
And with that he got to his feet, changed once again into his demon form, and ran off into the woods. Yoru was dumbfounded, emotionally hurt and left to find her own way home.
The next morning she was rudely awakened by Tsuki nudging her in the head with her staff from outside her window. She gave Tsuki the finger and rolled over hoping to get a few more minutes to think. Her mind had been racing all night looking for the reason that Okune had refused her so harshly. Once again she was dragged from her thoughts by Tsuki and her stick.
"If you don't stop poking me with that thing I'm ganna take it and shove it up your ass!" Yoru finally remarked throwing the blankets from her face.
"Fine, then I'll just go to lord Seiryu's castle by myself." Tsuki said and walked out of sight of the window.
"Ahh, Tsuki wait, I'm coming!" Yoru yelled as she tried to drag her shirt over her head.
"Stop rushing Yoru, you're going to make it to obvious that we're leaving." Tsuki said reappearing at the window, "Put your pants and shirt on under your kimono and act like we're going into town for a bit. I'll wait outside and remember: normality is the key."
Yoru gave a sigh of relief and again began dressing. After throwing on her red pants and black tube top she wiggled into a light blue kimono and bright yellow obi. In her opinion she was wearing the ugliest thing in the whole demon world. She also wrapped her sword in a length of cloth that her mother had been nagging her to take to the market, which also gave her her reason for leaving. After checking herself to make sure she wasn't giving her true intensions away, she walked into the living area where she was greeted by five bodies hurling themselves at her.
"Yeah, big sisters awake!" they all sang as they bounced on Yoru's stomach
"Yes, I'm awake, now can all of you get off of me? Please, I need to go to town."
"Awe, but sister we wanna play."
"I promise we can play later, and maybe if you're good I'll bring you each home a treat."
"Okay!"
With that, the children quickly scrambled off their sister and Yoru was able to make it outside without any other incidents. Once outside, she wasted no time in dragging Tsuki from her perch against the wall to the busy streets of town. While there, the two of them sold the cloth and a couple kimonos that Tsuki had made but never actually worn.
"Oh, Yoru, before I forget, I've got something for you." Tsuki said paying for the food they would be taking. She quickly undid a cloth bundle she had tied across her back and handed Yoru a pair of black high top shoes before replacing the empty space with the food.
"Oooookay, why the shoes?" Yoru asked with a curious look.
"Because we are going to be walking for a long time and I don't want to be taking care of your smelly feet afterwards because you can't walk." Tsuki replied retying the bundle to her back.
Yoru gave the shoes one final glare before slipping them onto her feet and proceeded to walk out of town.
Pause in flashback
The whole group fell silent entranced by Yoru's story. Hinote moved to ask a question but was cut short as a blood-chilling scream filled the air. They all knew that it was coming from the temple and that it must belong to Tsuki. Yoru remained still as if remembering another time she'd heard her friend scream like that.
"Is there anything else?" Hiei said making everyone look around in surprise. They had all thought him to be long gone.
"Oh yeah, there's a lot more. I was just remembering all the screaming we did during training. It wasn't anywhere near that bad, but still.
Anyways we walked for three days before entering the castle. We past our entrance exam with no problem, but the training we went through for the next fifty or so years were so intense. But it was worth it because after that…
Resume flashback
"To Yoru Atsui and Tsuki Newa I hereby give the rank of 1st commanding officer of the Seiryu army and top level assassins." These were the words of the lord Seiryu himself as he presented the girls with the title they had been working for over the past fifty years.
As both Yoru and Tsuki knelt in front of Seiryu accepting their new titles a cheer ran through the crowd of people who the girls had come to call family. They both rose to their feet as lord Seiryu handed them their new, amplified, daggers and again announced their title to the crowd making it official.
"Congratulations girls, you finally did it!" said the girls' friend Gen as they walked down into the crowd below.
"Hey, way to go girls!" Said another friend, Ken, with a loving slap on the back for each of them.
"Nice job Yoru, Tsuki!" yelled Nemori from atop their other friend Kazumi's shoulders.
"Party in Yoru's room tonight!" cried out Sharp another of their demonic friends
And indeed when Yoru and Tsuki entered Yoru's room later that night they were met by the loudest and wildest party Seiryu's castle had ever known. Waves of brain pounding music issued from the numerous instruments that were being played by some of the more talented demons of the castle. Over in one corner they saw Kazumi mixing vase amounts of alcoholic drinks then passing them to Nemori to pour into cups, which seemed to disappear before they hit the table. Up on the ceiling someone had placed and assortment of multi colored crystals with flames burning brightly in their centers sending a mixture of light across the room.
"Hey girls, come dance with us." Yelled Ken and Sharp over the noise
"I think we'll pass." Yoru yelled back
"Why? This party is meant for you two." Sharp said coming closer to the girls
"We're a little over dressed wouldn't you say." Tsuki replied referring to the tunics her and Yoru were still wearing from the ceremony.
"We can change that." Ken said and without another word both boys tore the girls' tunics from them revealing their normal fighting attire. They then persisted to pull the girls into the center of the dance floor.
Yoru couldn't remember a more enjoyable night. They danced and drank well into the night before eventually passing out on her bed.
When she woke the next morning she was surprised to see the room completely clean. It looked as though a party had never happened. Then she noticed Kazumi and Nemori passed out on the couch and floor beside the fireplace. She then noticed Tsuki standing outside, leaning n the balcony railing with a steaming cup f tea in her hands apparently deep in thought. Slowly Yoru crawled from her bed and out onto the cool sun filled balcony.
"Hey, morning party girl." Tsuki said when she noticed Yoru sitting against one of the railings, "How do ya feel?"
"Like shit." Yoru replied holding her head in her hands
Tsuki laughed slightly, "Yeah that tends to happen if you're not used to drinking. Here this stuff helps a lot."
Tsuki passed Yoru a cup of steaming tea that smelt strongly of berries and something else Yoru couldn't really place. She took a sip and instantly felt her headache lessen. They sat in silence for a while until Yoru finally spoke.
"You know a lot has happened to us over the years. Maybe its time for a break."
"Yeah, maybe it is. We could go home for a bit."
"But you know lord Seiryu; he won't let us unless there was something we had to do in that region."
"Well, when I spoke to him last he did mention something about a demon that might be planning a rebellion on the region."
Tsuki glanced down at Yoru and gave her a smile that told her she knew what she was talking about.
Later that day they went to lord Seiryu and accepted the mission that he had mentioned. He handed them a scroll that told them everything they needed to know and as they began to walk out the door he yelled after them, "give your village my regards girls."
It took Yoru and Tsuki three days to hike through the mountains forest that lead to their village. They passed the time by pondering what their families might say. They wondered if they would be proud of them for becoming so strong or if they would disown them entirely.
"I think my mom is going to blow up at me when we see her." Yoru said with a slight twinge.
"Well I know if my parents were still alive they would probably…"
"Hey Su, do you smell that?" Yoru asked sniffing at the air, "It smells like…"
"Fire." Tsuki said passing Yoru a worried and confused look that sent them both hurtling through the last of the woods.
When they reached the end they were met by the sight of their village completely enveloped in flames. People of all ages ran past the girls trying to escape the blaze or find loved ones who had become separated. As a man carrying a child ran past them Yoru reached out to stop him and ask what had happened. But it seemed that just as soon as she had gotten a firm grip on his kimono sleeve his entire arm became separated from his body. The man cried out in pain and fell to the ground. The girls watched in horror as his head slowly began to roll away from the rest of his lifeless form. The child that had been in his arms began to pull its way out, begging the girls for help as it did so. As Yoru rushed to help him a shuriken whizzed past her and imbedded itself in the child's neck killing him. She turned and for an instant saw the dark silhouette of a person on the nearest rooftop. As she stared at the figure she came to realize that it was staring right back at her. That's when the voice spoke to her.
It's been a long time, Yoru. It said to her
Who are you?
If you want to find out catch me, if you can.
With that the figure disappeared from the roof. Yoru caught a glimpse of something turning down the street ahead and that was all the incentive she needed to begin the chase. She charged blindly into the fire that was swiping through the village and somehow managed to find the strange figure down one of the ally ways between the buildings. She wasn't sure how long she chased him or how many dead bodies she had passed before her prey finally stopped. He had leaded her to a relatively open area with fire surrounding them in a semicircle. Smoked issued from everywhere burning Yoru's skin and slowly suffocating her. Her opponent seemed completely unfazed.
"Who are you?" Yoru asked again
The person across from her seemed to give a small sigh as if disappointed that she had forgotten something.
"Has it really been that long Yoru? Seems like only yesterday that you tried to kiss me." As the words met Yoru's ears the wind shifted and Okune's face was revealed to her.
Yoru was in shock. She never would have imagined that the one person that she had become close to would do something like this.
"Why Okune? Why burn down the village?" Yoru asked still in a state of shock
Okune simply laughed at the question as if saying that she should have figured it out long ago, "It's simple Yoru. I'm burning down the village because my lord wishes me to. He thinks it's far too dangerous to be left standing."
As Okune said this, his eyes seemed to become wilder as if the flames had released something inside of him, something that wanted blood.
Before Yoru could ask her next question, Okune sent a volley of shuriken stars at her. She avoided them easily enough but wasn't prepared for his next attack, which was several sword slashes to the main veins on her body. Yoru fell to the ground, slowly bleeding to death, with Okune standing above ready to finish her.
"It's a shame really; you were one of the better looking ones I've tricked." Okune said as he raised the sword over his head for the finishing blow.
That was all Yoru could remember of that night for when she awoke she was in a small shack, on a bed of straw covered in bandages. Tsuki sat nearby nursing what appeared to be a severely burned child. There were many others like him lying nearby, all of which came from their village.
"What happened Tsuki?" Yoru asked sitting up.
"Nice to see you're awake." Tsuki replied with a start, "Okune really gave you a beating. I wasn't sure if you were even alive."
"What happened to him and how do you know his name?"
"You talk in your sleep. And as for your other question I threw a flaming shuriken star at him and got him in the face."
Yoru looked around at all the other injured people lying by her. Her ears dropped as she came to realize that it was all her fault. She had been the one to fall for an outsider and tell him all the secrets of the village, and she hadn't been smart enough to figure out his plans sooner. She looked up at Tsuki who looked as if she hadn't slept for days and slowly felt the tears come to her eyes.
"I'm sorry Tsuki. I'm sorry for letting all this happen." She cried as the tears leaked from her eyes.
"It's ok Yoru. You didn't know that he was going to do this. All we can do now is tried to help the few that survived." And with that Tsuki leaned over and wrapped her arms around Yoru, trying to comfort her.
The girls managed to take the survivors to another cat village nearby where the people promised to nurse them back to health and help them adjust to their new lives. Sadly for Yoru, no remains of her home or family were ever found.
They made their way back to Seiryu's castle where news of the fire had already spread. The girls were comforted by their friends, but the scars of their loses never really healed.
End of flashback
"We remained a part of Seiryu's army and continued to be sent on missions. Eventually we began to heal from the loss. Tsuki fell in love shortly after that but…" Yoru stopped and debated whether or not to tell the others.
"Yeah, go on. Tsuki fell in love and…" Hinote nudged eager to here more about his new friends
Yoru merely shock her head, "I think I'll let her tell you when she's ready."
The group fell silent. Yoru bowed her head and gave a deep, sad sigh as if hoping that she could take back all those memories. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and looked up to see Hiei staring down at her with a hint of concern and pity in his eyes. He knelt down next to her and in barely more then a whisper said, "I know it's hard to lose everything Yoru, but believe me someday it will get better. Until then you have to be strong."
Yoru looked at him in amazement. Was this the same Hiei who had tried to kill her nearly a year ago? Hiei suddenly became stiff again and turned to face the rest of the group who were staring at him.
"Well, what are all of you staring at?" He asked in an angry tone.
"Oh, nothing Hiei absolutely nothing." Yusuke said with a nervous laugh.
There was a small scream from behind Hiei as the door was pushed open and Yoru toppled over backwards onto Botan's feet.
"Sorry Yoru I didn't realize you were sitting there." Botan said with an embarrassed smile.
"It's ok Botan. Is there something you need?" Yoru replied with a sigh as she stared up the ferry girl.
"Just came to tell you that dinner is done if anyone wants some."
"Is it really dinner time already? Wow I didn't even realize the sun was going down." Kuwabara remarked as the group began to file into the house.
As she turned to close the door Yoru felt a small tap on her arm. She looked over her shoulder and saw Yukina standing behind her.
"Oh, hi Yukina, what's up?" Yoru asked trying to act happy.
"I'm sorry Yoru but I over heard your story as I was passing by to fill the bird feeders and, well, I just thought I'd ask if you would like a hug."
Yoru gave Yukina a strange look.
"I only asked because whenever Kazuma feels sad I give him a hug and he always seems to feel better afterwards."
Yoru studied the small ice demon in front of her. She had never notice how strong Yukina really was. She seemed so frail and yet she risked death in the mere hope of finding her long lost brother and never really gave up hope even though it took nearly three years to learn the truth.
Yoru smiled at her before answering, "Thank you Yukina, a hug would do wonders."
They embraced and to Yoru's surprise she really did, strangely, feel somewhat better. When they parted Yoru again thanked Yukina who responded with a smile and said, "If you ever feel sad remember you can always come talk to me. Now we both better get to the table before we miss dinner."
Yoru slid the door completely shut and followed Yukina into the dining hall, all the while thinking, "Maybe these people aren't so bad."