Tora-chan: Okay no time for delays, most continue before writer's block comes back!
Vitanie: Are you okay? You seem a little stressed.
Tora-chan: (turns from stuffing m&m's in her mouth) I didn't know you cared so much, Vee.
Vitanie: I don't. I'm just worried about what you might write if you're sugar high and stressed from work and school.
Hiroshi: Vitanie be nice, please. Tora-chan maybe you should start the chapter.
Tora-chan and Vitanie: Whatever
Hiroshi: (sighs) Tora-chan doesn't own Inuyasha.
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Last time: They meet a mysterious tiger demon that wants to kill Vitanie. So Vitanie helps her much to Inuyasha's and Yuki's dismay.
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After his little introduction Miroku decided that it was better to stay away from the angry cat demon. He went over and helped Kagome pass out the stew to everyone before going over to sit next to Hiroshi who seemed to want to stay on the opposite side of the room from there guest. As they ate they got into a quiet conversation about different philosophies.
Yuki was still trying to stare down the demon but kept his mouth shut since Vitanie started to glare at him because of all his complaining about cat demons.
Vitanie stayed near Sora and decided to try and get some sleep while she could so that they could continue their journey the next day as long as Sora woke up that is. So after she made sure that everyone had eaten and that both Inuyasha and Yuki knew not to attack anyone in the night from the glares she gave them she turned in for the rest of what was left of the night.
Yuki saw Vitanie lay down and soon felt that she was asleep he got up quietly and started to make his way to the corner where their guest was but was stopped when much to his surprise Mari dropped onto his shoulder.
"What are you doing Yuki? Big sister will be upset if you hurt her," she whispered a small layer of fear in her voice.
Yuki looked over at Mari and saw her silently begging for him to not do anything to make Vitanie upset. He started to turn his head back towards the cat demon when he saw Shippo also watching him with big eyes. With a sigh he walked over to where Shippo was curled up with Kagome and placed Mari with them before turned back toward the wall where Inuyasha had been watching everything that happened.
"Lose your nerve you mangy wolf?" the half demon smirked.
"No," he answered with a sigh. "I just don't want to do anything that might turn around and hurt my friends. For some reason both Vitanie and Mari see something in her and if I hurt her it would hurt them. I won't do that to my friends," he whispered in a tone that Inuyasha would have connected with Koga when he spoke of anyone hurting his pack. With a nod he turned his head away from the wolf and left him alone in his own thoughts.
The whole time this took place the tan tiger demon had been awake and watching them. She knew she couldn't win a fight with the wolf in the shape she was in so she was relieved when he sat back down. After that she couldn't stop the sleep from over taking her no matter how much she didn't want to fall asleep when potential enemies where nearby.
Vitanie tossed slightly and smiled in her sleep due to her dream . . .
She walked quietly through the blossoming bushes behind her father's house again. It once again looked like it did before the village was destroyed. She walked slowly to the falls enjoying the sight while she could. She knew that when she woke things would be back to normal and that she wouldn't have this calm peaceful beauty anymore.
As she reached the falls she saw her father standing there waiting for her. She knew that he would be there for her as he always had.
"Father," she whispered as she crossed the bridge to reach him.
He laughed slightly as she approached, "I knew you would come her tonight. Though I don't understand why you're here, you don't need my help or advice this time and you're not running from pain. So what does bring you here?"
She closed the distance between the two giving him a big hug, "Can't I just come and spend some time with you Daddy?"
"I wouldn't mind that, but you know that I wouldn't be able to see you if all you wanted was to see me, my little cub," he whispered into her hair. "I'm able to see you because of the deal I made with the rulers of Spirit World, but only when you needed my advice on something. You can come to this place whenever you want but you will only find me here if you needed help with something," he explained as he lead her up the stairs in the side of the cliff to the sun filled meadow at the top. "So what is it that you need, my kitten?" he asked as he sat down.
Vitanie sat across from him before falling back in the grass and relishing the feel of the sun on her skin, even if it was a dream she loved the feel of peace this place brought to her. She sighed knowing that she had to get to the matter on hand because the time in her dream was drawing short and she needed the information that he would give her.
"Tell me a little more about Sora? She collapsed shortly after you disappeared," she asked a little worried.
Kin shock his head knowing she was worried about the other girl but that it wasn't the main reason for her to be here. "Sora will be fine; she wore herself out with the summoning is all. After a good night sleep she will be just fine. I will warn you that she will most like be scared when she awakes. She is not use to having contact with the living. She was shunned from everyone she has met because of her ability to call and talk to spirits. That is why I want you to take care of her. She needs to feel compassion and friendship from the living instead of just the dead. Let her experience life instead of this constant death," he finished looking over at his daughter. Vitanie had a thoughtful look on her face at this little but of information before giving a slight nod.
"Now why did you really come here?" he asked with a smile.
She turned her golden eyes to his before ducking her head. "Am I really that easy to read?" she asked in shock.
"Only to those who understand your heart, little one," he smiled. "Now what is it that is bothering you?"
She leaned back on her elbows to let the sun fully land on her face before she began to speak. "Tonight after meeting with you and Sora, we meet someone else. She was in one of the rooms of your house almost starved to death. She was in the form of a large tan colored tiger and didn't make any reaction and tell the light of a lantern fell on my hair, ears, and tails. She said she had come here to destroy the Tijian's only to find the village in complete shambles and the Tijians no more. But the thing is that she is half Tijian herself," Vitanie sighed. "She wouldn't even give her name."
"Could I guess that she is not much older then you?" he asked quietly.
"I'm not sure. I'm guessing myself with that. But I would guess that she is at least three to four years older then me. She wouldn't give us any information about herself she only said that she was planning on killing us so that giving her name wasn't important."
"A tan tigress you say? It could only be Leiko. I wouldn't be surprised at her being very stubborn. She was properly named since her name means arrogant. She is very sure of herself and her abilities. I kept track of her after she was exiled, since I was the one that insisted that she be exiled instead of killed," he sighed. "I knew that one day she would come back wanting revenge. Be careful around her because she doesn't just want to destroy Tijians because of being exiled but because it is a blood deep trait for her. She is half Tijian, half Lyjian. These names we gave ourselves but basically she is half tiger and half lion. The Lyjians have always wanted to see us dead and have come up with some deadly ways to see that through. Like the fact that they came up with Tiger's Bain, the only poison that will kill us."
"So she wants me dead so that the Tijians will be dead, but that won't happen because she is Tijian herself. . . No! You don't think she would kill herself after she killed me?" she asked in complete shock. "No I can't let her do that!" she exclaimed jumping to her feet.
"Little one, calm yourself. There is nothing that you can do to change how she feels. This is a vengeance that is in her blood," Kin said quickly standing as well. He wanted to take Vitanie and shake the since into her. Leiko was dangerous and would stop at nothing to make sure that every Tijian was dead, including herself. He knew that Vitanie would put herself in danger to try to help her.
"Daddy, since she is part lioness does that mean that all lion demons are Lyjians?" she asked suddenly.
"Yes, they are. But why do you ask that?" he asked confused at the smug smile on her face at his answer.
"Then it isn't a blood deep vengeance, Daddy. You see Mari is part lioness and she is like my little sister. She has no hatred for me being Tijian," she answered. When she finished her sentence everything started to grow fuzzy as something from the really world started to drag her from her dream. "I know what I have to do now Daddy. Thank you," she called as she pulled further into the waking world. Just before everything completely vanished she heard him call out to be careful with a very concerned look on his face.
Vitanie sat up and rubbed her eyes as she looked up at the little cat and fox demon that had decided to have a wrestling match on top of her. Neither one seemed to notice that they had disturbed her sleep in the least. She quickly reached out and started to tickle both of them until they were squealing for her to stop because they were laughing so much they were crying.
"Serves you two right, for waking me up," she said with a mischief smile. "Now what was the reason for having a wrestling match on top of me?"
They looked at her with big innocent eyes each giving their own version of puppy dog eyes.
"We wanted to explore the garden, but no one would let us go alone and none of them would come with us either," Mari said adding a trembling lip to the look.
"I think that you've been spending too much time around Shippo, Mari," she said with a sigh looking away from the two. Neither one of them moved and continued to stare at her. She looked out of the corner of her eye before throwing her hands up in the air. "Alright, fine," she conceded as they both yelled out before running toward the door. She got up and grabbed the staff she had gotten from her father the night before and headed out behind her but not before hearing the comment from Leiko.
"She's going to make it easy to kill her if she's that willing to give into kids," the tan tigress scoffed.
Yuki growled at her but stayed where he was having a conversation with Hiroshi. The only one's awake so far where the ones with demon blood seeing as they needed less sleep then humans and Hiroshi who was used to waking up early. The sun was just rising as Vitanie went outside with Shippo and Mari.
Vitanie walked quietly behind the two looking at the scorched trees and dead bushes that comprised what was left of the garden from her dreams the night before. Shippo and Mari were running back a forth playing a spirited game of tag between the two of them as they raced around the trees. There playing brought back some of the dreams she had had when she was a child. She would run around this same garden and play hide and seek with her father in her dreams then. That was when the help she needed from him had been just someone to play with and let her have a chance to have a childhood where she was trapped inside a house with a barrier. She had always cherished her dreams even then.
They were making there way over to the waterfall when a movement caught her attention. She reached out with her senses and relaxed as she saw that it was Kohaku. She changed her direction slightly while still keeping Shippo and Mari in sight.
"Good morning, Kohaku. Did you also come out for a morning stroll?" she asked with a smile as she saw Mari tackle Shippo from behind. They rolled around on the grass laughing.
"Yes, I needed some fresh air and some time to think," he answered softly.
Vitanie regarded him before turning her head up towards the cliff face where she had talked with her father the night before in her dream. "Is there anything that you wanted to talk about," she asked watching him out of the corner of her eyes. He was fidgeting slightly and she smirked a little at that.
Kohaku stared at the ground and started to blush. He had left the house to try and find some time alone and had run into Vitanie. He was still confused a little about everything that had happened to him and he wanted someone to talk to but didn't think anyone would understand what he was feeling.
Vitanie saw him hesitant and blush which caused her to smile a little, he reminded her a little of Akemi. She decided that is was best to stay quiet until he was ready to talk. Since Shippo and Mari were content to play by the pool at the base of the falls she moved over to where she saw a bench covered in over growth. She quickly pulled to over growth off and brushed the dirt away before sitting and motioning Kohaku to do the same.
He sat quickly and fiddled with his hands before he spoke just loud enough to hear him, "I guess I should tell you about what exactly happened to help you understand before I tell you the real problem," he said with a sigh. Then he proceeded to tell her about how he had been controlled by Naraku and how he had actually dead and been brought back to life. He told her everything, even about killing his father and fellow villagers and attacking his sister on more then one occasion. When he finished the little narrative he looked over at her to see her reaction.
She smiled at him and put a hand on his shoulder, "I won't pretend to understand, but I can see that that isn't the problem here. You're sister still loves you no matter what, so why don't you tell me what you were thinking about this morning."
He nodded gathering some courage now that he had gotten that off his chest and that she had condemned him for it. "Ever since I was brought back to life, Sango has been talking about the two of us going back to the Demon Slayer's village and rebuilding," he stated before stopping.
"Let me guess. You don't want to go back do you?" Vitanie asked softly.
"No," he answered almost too soft for her to hear. Then he looked up with a little bit of determination in his eyes. "I don't want to be a demon slayer and go back. I don't mind protecting those I care for with the skills that I've learned, but I don't want to go back and be haunted by my past with every step I take," he said finally turning fully toward Vitanie.
"Then there is only one thing that you can do, and that would be to take to Sango about it," she said staring ahead even though she was watching him out of the side of her eye. She saw his face fall at that and knew that he was afraid of hurting Sango's feelings. "Kohaku, tell Sango just like you told me. She'll understand. She loves you and doesn't want to see you in pain; I know that you know that. You're the only family that you two have left. She would do anything for you, I know it," she said with a smile. "Now I'm going to take Shippo and Mari back inside." She tilted her head to the side and sniffed while her ears twitched. "Breakfast will be in about twenty minutes, until then why don't you walk around and enjoy the morning sun. I'll see you inside," with that she gathered a now very wet Shippo, who had been pushed into the pool by a now laughing Mari and headed inside.
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Tora-chan: Yea, I finished yet another chapter. Go me!!
Yuki: Will you calm down. You're giving me a head ache.
Vitanie: Just be happy that she didn't make us look like fools in the story with all the sugar she's had recently. Tora-chan on a sugar-high is a very scary thing (shivers)
Tora-chan: Yep! Me and sugar have done some crazy things before. Okay need to breath. I would like to say that I know the stories time line is moving a little slow now but there is so much that I want to put in before she gets the Hoshi Ken. Do you all remember that that is what they're going after right now? I know it's been awhile. Sorry about that all.
Yuki: Yeah, why are we all of a sudden taking things so slowly?
Tora-chan: Because I wasn't expecting to add Leiko into the story. I didn't even know who she was until I typed her into the last chapter. She was totally unexpected. Also since Kohaku has been basically mute throughout most of the story I decided that I wanted to throw in a conversation with him and Vitanie. It's really hard balancing, what is it, 11 characters. And that's just the people at the Tijian village. Then there's still 4 others not including the enemy and any minions he might have. You see that's a lot to think about. Okay let's see I still have to have Sora wake and freak before they start to travel again. So much to do and so little time. Hiroshi, can you close the chapter for me have to think about the next chapter.
Hiroshi: Sure thing Tora-chan. Thank you all for reading and please review. Thank you and have a nice day (bows)
