Tora-chan: Hey hey.
Yuki: Are you okay? You seem a little down.
Tora-chan: You write a 16 page term paper in one day and see how you feel. On the bright side Tren said I could use Aillas as a part time muse.
Yuki: What you're replacing us with that undying pretty boy?!
Vitanie: You can't replace us! We're the main characters!
Tora-chan: Then do your job and give me some inspiration. Besides Aillas is willing to work for food.
Hiroshi: Tora-chan maybe you should start the chapter.
Tora-chan: Yep, let's do this thing! (I won't be the disclaimer anymore because you already know that I don't own Inuyasha)
--------------
Last time: Leiko tried to save Vitanie during a battle, but Vitanie trapped her behind an earthen barrier, before letting out so much energy that she passed out. She then got kidnapped by Hideaki.
--------------
Vitanie slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She was expecting to see her friends sitting around a fire waiting for her to wake up, but instead she was staring at a stone wall. She had an ache in her shoulder so she went to rub the sore muscle only to find out that her hands were tied behind her back. What the freak? Let's think here - - calm - - I put Leiko behind a barrier and then - - nothing. What happened after that? She thought as she tried to shift her weight to relieve her aching shoulder. When she got herself to a seat position she heard a laugh behind her.
"What, you don't like lying on the hard ground? Picky aren't we little cat?"
Vitanie sprang to her feet so quickly that if she didn't feel so weak she would have had an open shoot at an attack. Instead she was on her feet but fell against the wall trying to shack of a wave of dizziness.
"Relax little cat. I won't hurt you, unless you try to fight me," the voice laughed.
"Who are you?" Vitanie finally demanded as she let her eyes focus on the figure in the shadows.
"You are in no position to demand answers from me, but I'll tell you none the less. My name is Hideaki," the voice replied. He slowly stepped closer into a shaft of light to relieve a very good looking fox demon. He was a rare black fox though, with black hair highlighted with a tinge of red at the tips. His eyes where a shade of dark purple with a tinge of red around the outside the expression was totally self centered but would cause many girls to fall at his feet. His features were finally chiseled and any girl would fall for him, but something about him gave Vitanie the creeps. His clothing was also black and showed his tone figure to great advantage, but also kept him well concealed in darkness.
"What do you want with me, fox?" she asked never taking her eyes off him. He started toward her which caused her to back further into the wall.
"Are you scared of me," he laughed.
"Stay away from me," she hissed but couldn't dodge as he lunged forward and slammed her into the wall with great force causing her to once again black out. His laughter the last thing she heard.
-----
With the others
Yuki paced the camp enraged at how slow everyone was being.
"Come on, with have to go and find Vee, now!" he demanded.
"Yuki, we with have no clue where she could be, and no trail to follow. Beside until Leiko can travel we aren't moving," Kagome sighed as the wolf once again walked past her.
"We don't need to wait for that stupid lion, leave her here and let's go!" he snapped turning toward the priestess.
"You mangy wolf, don't yell at Kagome. If you're so ready to go and find her then leave. No one's stopping you, so go," Inuyasha snapped stepping in front of Kagome. Yuki stopped and turned with a look of shock on his face.
"You're right," he said causing everyone to fall anime style. "I didn't think of that before."
"All the better reason for you not to go off on your own," Leiko said as she walked forward leaning on her borrowed staff. "Now let's go. If I know Hideaki he didn't go far."
"So you know more about this fox then you let on before," Miroku said stepping forward.
"I know enough to stay away from him at all cost," she glared at his right hand that had started toward Sango's backside. Sango saw the direction her eyes looked and turned and slapped Miroku before he could make contact.
"Keep your mind on the problem, monk," Sango said holding her weapon in a threatening manner.
"We don't have time for this, we have to save big sister," Mari spoke up from where she stood next to Shippo.
"Yeah, she's right. Vitanie needs our help so we need to stop arguing and start planning," Shippo proclaimed sticking up for Mari.
At that they all started discussing what should be done, throwing out opinions and basically arguing with everyone. Leiko stared at the confusion and sighed.
Why did she save me? All I've ever done was cause her problems, I've said I was going to kill her and destroy the Tijian village after she starts rebuilding it. Why would she protect me with her life? She was so deep into thought that she hadn't even noticed that she had wondered away from the group slightly. She was standing just outside a clump of trees when she heard voices. As she peered in she saw Sora kneeling on the ground having a conversation with what seemed to be thin air. After watching for while she notice a more aware look cross Sora's face before she turned and started towards where the group was. She passed without noticing the half lion watching from behind a tree.
"What were you doing, in there?" Leiko caught herself asking before she could stop.
Sora turned toward her and smiled a little sadly, "I was asking the spirits of the bat demons from last night where Vitanie might be. Since they were all ready dead they were very willing to help." With that she turned back to the still arguing group. She stopped just on the end of the group and glared at them.
Yuki was in the midst of a fight with Inuyasha when he felt a cold gaze fall on him. Without think he shivered before turning and meeting Sora's gaze. The look would have frozen anyone's blood if she had had the power to do so. He was so shocked at the look that he let out a yelp before backing away from her. This caught Inuyasha's attention causing him to as turn toward the glare. He freaked at the pure coldness of the glare and duck behind Kagome not in the least bit embarrassed about hiding. With those two quiet the clearing was almost silent causing everyone else to also stop there talking.
Leiko walked up and chuckled slightly, "Sora, I don't think I would ever have been able to get them to shut up. Good job."
Everyone at that looked between Inuyasha and Yuki over to Sora who now smiled while she blushed at the attention she was getting.
"Now let's sit and talk. Sora has some information that should prove important," Leiko said motioning for everyone to sit with her and beginning some real planning.
-------
Back with Vitanie
Vitanie once again opened her eyes slowly but quickly closed then as she was greeted with bright glaring light. She tried to remain still to pretend sleep but heard a small chuckle that sent shivers up her spine.
"You seem to be in pain, kitten?" the oily voice purred. "You were lucky I came when I did. Hideaki has a problem with keeping his hostages alive." Vitanie could hear the coldness aimed at a figure reclining in a nearby chair.
"So I like playing with them. Especially the ones as pretty as our little cat here," the fox replied with a smirk. Vitanie glared over at him but remained quite for the moment. "What cat got your tongue," he teased using one of the oldest and most annoying clichés in the book.
"Hideaki, if you most tease her come up with something better then that," the oily voice replied. "Now, what should I do with you, kitten?" he mused from his dark corner. A phantom hand reached and caressed Vitanie's check causing her to shiver.
"Seems like she doesn't like that," Hideaki smirked walking towards Vitanie.
"You did your job here. No go outside and make sure that nobody gets near here. Stop the musician above all else," the darkness replied a coldness aimed at the fox that was unmistakable. Hideaki shrugged with a smirk before turning towards the door and leaving. "You know little kitten, you have caused quite a few problems for me. You keep killing the demons in my employ. You make it very hard to find help if you keep doing that."
"I you stopped hunting me I would stop killing them," she hissed at the corner she had last felt his energy from, just to have him end up behind her.
"You should have learned to hold your tongue by now," he growled grabbing her chin in his hand and sending a burst of energy through her causing her to stiffen before collapse in a ball on the bed she had been set on. "I'll leave you alone, until you can remember to whom you speak," he purred in her ear before turning away.
----------
With the others
Everyone sat in silence at what they had just heard. Sora had learned a great deal from the spirits of the bat demons. More then they had even had hoped for.
"I never thought Rei would go this far," Leiko whispered.
"You know who this guy is?" Kohaku asked from where he sat beside Sango.
"Yes, he taught me most of everything I know," she said looking up. "He's a panther with a major attitude problem. All he cares about is gaining power and he doesn't care how he gains it. He controls darkness with a side branch of fire. When he was teaching me he kept talking about the elemental star stone and how one day he was going to have control of it," she finished in a huff. "I never thought Hideaki would join him though."
"That must be the same guy that burnt Vitanie's arm after she got the wind stone," Hiroshi commented as he plucked random strings on his lyre. "But where would they be hiding in the real question?"
"That's easy. Rei would be hiding in the phantom castle. He created it from darkness and fire. When he was teaching me he was trying to gain the ability to use phantom techniques. I was kicked out of his training just as he perfected some of the training," Leiko shrugged.
"So where is this phantom castle," Yuki asked ready to jump up and run there.
"Right on the other side of the river one day's journey to the east. It's surrounded by a barrier, but I might be able to get us past it," she said with a smile. "Now we've wasted enough of the day, we should probably head out and save that half tigress."
"Let's go!" Yuki replied jumping to his feet with Hiroshi and Mari. It took several seconds for the others to gather there thoughts and start off after the four.
With a small sigh Sora hung back and turned toward her right, her eyes completely emotionless as she looked into the spirit realm. "You were right Kin. She has made some good friends and has gained another in a very short time."
"Yes, she is a wonder. I never knew Leiko would turn so easily. Now please help them save her, Sora."
"That I will, Good day, Kin," she finished life coming back into her eyes as she ran off to catch up with the others.
---------
Tora-chan: Yea, chapter 23 is done!
Yuki: See and you didn't even need Aillas.
Vitanie: That's right, so tell him he doesn't have to come.
Tora-chan: Hey Vee, come take a look at this!
Vitanie: Who's that he's hot!
Tora-chan: (evil twinkle in eyes) That's Aillas.
Vitanie: I changed my mind, send for him now!
Yuki: Vitanie you traitor.
Hiroshi: While they argue over whether Aillas should come here or not. I would like to say thank you for reading this chapter and please review. Tora-chan will finish writing this story, but reviewing will ensure that she actually updates. Thank you again and good day. (Bows) (Arguing heard in the back ground) Okay it's time for everyone to take a nap. (Hiroshi plays a lullaby making them all fall asleep) Finally some peace and quiet.