Chapter 22

Title: Twist of fate...part VIII

written by: Shaun Witt / Ryu Kitsune.

Once Ryu appered on the other side of the mirror wearing the mask. He dropped his pack and ran out of the shrine. Once outside the shrine he could since a dark incomplete Shikon jewel as he ran towards the barrier. He paid the people no mind as he he passed them.

He ran through the mirror as the Maiasma cloud covered the area. He jumped right into it and found his mother. as quickly as he could he placed the mask on her face and jumped out of the the poisonus cloud.

Ryu Ready his bow and yelled out, "You bastard, take this."

The sacred arrrow took flgiht and struck the demon where the incomplete shikon jewel was. The demon vanished and the jewel turned to dust. Ryu turned his attention back to his mother as he picked her up.

"Lord Ryudo, You must preform the blood ritual at once." Ryu said.

"Who is this demon?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"I'll explain later." Lord Ryudo said.

Ryu carried his mother to his father's house. They walked through the hosue and to a guest room where he lead her downa dn removed her mask. Lord Ryudo then began to blood ritual.

Lord Ryudo looked at his son and asked, "How do I know she will survive?"

"I'm still alive aren't I?" Ryu replied.

Ryu left the room to give his father privacy as he preformed the ritual. Sesshoumaru was waiting in the living room and when he saw the strange he asked, "Who are you and how does Lord Ryudo know of you?"

Ryu told him about the events in the past 200 years ago. At first Sesshoumaru did not want to believe him but when Ryu told him that he asked about the ritual so he could have Rin live with him for a much longer time he began to.

"Ryu, it's good to see you again." A young male kitsune said.

"Well I see you grew up some Shippo. Might I ask where Reeni is?" Ryu replied.

"In her room. She said that she be down soon to say hi to you." Shippo replied.

"I noticed the Slayer school on the way back to the house, I trust Sango did good while she was alive?" Ryu asked.

"The school started out small at first with only a few students but now there are alot more. It also as become a traditon for family members who ancestor where slayers." Shippo replied.

"That is very good."Ryu said.

They continued to talk to one another till Lord Ryudo came down the stairs with his daughter. "The Ritual is done. Now we wait."

"Lord Ryudo, this person says he has met you before in the past. Is this true?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Yes it is. Through his actions he has made this valley a much safer place to be." He replied.

"It takes a few days before she will wake up right?" Ryu asked.

"Correct." Lord Ryudo replied.

"Might I stay here until she wakes up? I wish to speak with her and take a break before I leave for my time." Ryu asked.

"You are more then welcome to stay for a while." Lord Ryudo replied.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, who is Lord Ryudo's guest." A young teenage looking female dog demon asked.

Ryu stood up and approched her, "My name is Ryu. You must be Lord Sesshoumaru's compainion, Lady Rin."

"How do you know my name?" She asked.

"I've heard some things about you. all good of course." Ryu told her.

"Like what?" She asks.

"That you had helped Lord Sesshoumaru when he first lost that arm of his by giving him food." Ryu replied.

"Shippo, why don't you show Ryu around the village." Lord Ryudo said.

"Of course sir." Shippo replied.

Ryu fallowed Shippo out the front door. As they walked through the village Shippo told him all about the thigns that had happend since he last saw Ryu.

"I see Sango went ahead and started the Slayer school. Tell me what happend to her?" Ryu asked.

"After Lord Ryudo help have the school built for her she opened it up to the village. She didn't expect many student at first but they would change. It seemed many wanted to repay their lord for his protection by helping him to protect what they loved." Shippo replied.

"What about Sango?" Ryu asked.

"Sango went on to teach her students everything she knew along with a few values you told her about. She lived a long life cause of you and she had died of old age." Shippo told him.

"Good to know she was able to live her life out in safety. How are you and my sister getting along?" Ryu asked.

"Were great friends. But between you and me I got this kinda crush on her." Shippo replied.

"Well don't go rushing into it. She'll return her feelings for you someday." Ryu replied with a giggle in his voice.

"You know something don't you?" Shippo asks.

"I can't say. Just trust me on this." Ryu replied.

"Hi Shippo." Reeni said coming up behind them.

Ryu smiled as he saw her latch herself onto Shippo's arm. "Hello again Reeni."

"Oh hello Ryu." She said.

"So Shippo what you wanna do today?" she asked.

Ryu started busting a gut right there. He knew what his sister was doing and he could not help but laugh.

"What so funny?" Reeni asked placing her hand on her hip and giving him the eye.

"Reeni just come out and tell him how you feel." Ryu said.

Reeni took a few steps back and said, "What are you talking about?"

"I Got to know you since I was a pup. I learned to figure out what goes through your mind. So just tell Shippo how you feel." Ryu replied.

Reeni was blushing and Shippo just stared at her until he took a deep breath and said, "Reeni, I really like you alot."

Reeni turned towards him and replied, "I really like you to."

Ryu smiled and thought to himself, "Another mission complete." Ryu turned around and headed back to the house so the two love bird could be alone for a while.

When he got back to the house Ryu walked inside and up to the room where is mom was currently in a deep sleep from the blood ritual that was going to change her into a youkai like his father. He sat down on a chair that was placed next to her bed and looked over her.

"I wish I knew you could hear me and maybe you can. I want you to know I thank you for eveything you gave me in life. Your a very imporntant person to me. I just wanted you to know that your going to be safe here in this valley." Ryu told his sleeping mother.

"I'll be here in this time till you wake up from your deep sleep." Ryu said to himself.

It was two days later when she finally woke up. Unlike most who under go the blood ritual and wake up only to going mad from not knowing what was happening to them, she woke up in a peacful way. She looked around the room to find herself alone. That was until someone walked into the room.

"I'm glad to see your awake. By the way my name is Ryudo and I am lord of this valley." he said.

"My name is Yuna. Might I ask were the kitsune who saved my life is at?" She asked.

"He is downstairs. But how do you know about him?" he asked.

"Please bring him here." She asked.

Lord Ryudo left her room and went downstairs to find Ryu. When he did find him he told Ryu that she was awake and was askign for him. Ryu said ok and went upstairs and walked into her room alone.

"You wanted to see me?" Ryu asked.

"I wanted to say thank you for saving my life...son." She said and smiled.

"You had a vision of what was going to happen to you outside the valley didn't you?" Ryu asked.

"Three days before it happend I did have a vision. I saw you saving my life and I also saw myself becoming what I am now." She said.

"Your not upset about it?" he asked.

"It feels stranger then I expected but at the same time I feel stronger." she told him.

Ryu walked over to his mother and sat on the edge of the bed, "Can you tell if everything is going to be ok now?"

"I See many good things happening now for you. " She told him.

"I told father I be here only unitl you woke up. I should be going back to where I belong now." Ryu gave his mother a hug and said, "Hope to see you again in 300 years."

"Yes you will." She thought to herself as he left the room.

Ryu packed his gear up and getting ready to leave. He said his goodbyes to everyone in the house and then left. He walked outside and was heading to the shrine when he bumped into a kitsune mother and her pup.

"Hello." She said.

"Hello." Ryu replied. He could not help it but something about her scent was familar to him.

The mother's pup began to cry and she spoke softly to her, "It's ok Mai. Were going to go home now."

"Mai?" he thought. "Do you live in this valley?" he asked.

"Yes we do. We lost her father recently and we were lucky enough to be given a place to live here in the valley." She replide.

"It's a very safe place to live since the slayers came to be here. If you excause me, I'm going to go to the shrine and pray for a safe journy." He said as he excaused himself.

Ryu walked into the shrine but several people where there. He had to wait for them to leave before he could access the inner chambers and get to the Demon mirror.

Ryu made his way to the Dmeon mirror's chamber and found himself having trouble leaving. A part of him wanted to stay there with his mother but another part was telling him that something was waiting for him in his own time.

to be continued...