Rain: Lets kick this story up a notch…
Zel: How so?
Rain: Add some Metallica..
Snow: What do you mean?
Rain: Well the next two chapters are the Enter Sandman and The Phantom Lord…
Kaden: Zel you should be very pleased… them being your favorite band and all…
Zel: I couldn't be happier…
Dark: Yes you could…-smirks-
Zel: -blush- Ok I could be happier….
Rain: Almighty then uh who's got disclaimer duty?
Snow: Uh I think it's Zel's turn…
Zel: God may own souls but Rain doesn't own anime and songs…
Rain: -down on knees- Please Metallica don't sue me I make nothing off this…. I would never dream of taking what is rightfully yours….
Chapter XII
Enter Sandman
Say your prayers little one
don't forget, my son
to include everyone
Sunlight crept it's way into Rain's bedroom window it's bright, warming light accenting shades of red and silver, shining on two figures sleeping lost in the paradise of each other's arms under black sheets of satin. Youko woke up breathing deep her sent smiling at the feel of her soft flesh pressed agents his body. He chuckled remembering the night's activities while running his fingers up her thigh to her arm playing there sweeping his smooth digits there. He looked down his smile growing gentle taking her in as she slept. His eyes caught the scar on her chest and he kissed it still remembering the sound of the her screaming from a nightmare. Every time he was forced to wake her from a nightmare, every time he asked, every time she denied. She said, it wasn't important anymore…rolled over and went back to sleep. What happened to his Rain who gave her that scar?
tuck you in, warm within
keep you free from sin
till the sandman he comes
'When are you going to tell me you hurt?' He thought , kissing the tips of her fingers. She moaned out his name in her sleep her face flushed red with her dream, he could feel heat radiating from her as her dream took her higher. He could take no more. He kissed from her lips to the base of her neck making her tremble slightly under him. Slowly her eyes opened and her hand shot itself out of instinct to the back of his head tangling itself in those silver locks she loved so much to touch. He looked down at her in a bedroom smile.
"Dreaming of me?" He chuckled. She blushed remembering only highlights of the things he had done to her in sleep land. Damn him he was the only one who could make her face heat up like that! It wasn't fair.
"Always…" She answered finally while rubbing his leg with hers and kissing him back.
"Well I think I'll grant this dream of yours…" He smiled trailing freeing her lips blazing a path to her chest… The two foxes didn't get out of bed till late in the evening.
"Youko I have to get up at some point. I've got training to do." Rain laughed as he tickled her sides.
" We are training." Youko smiled burying his face in her neck.
"Youko it's Thursday and I'm already late Kaden is gonna have my head." Rain chuckled trying to escape her loves warm, strong, welcoming arms… Ok maybe it will be ok just this once to skip out. After all who could say no to staying in bed and making hot, steamy, rough love over and over with the one that you love? No one that's who! It is that reasoning that 'Forced' her to stay. She relaxed once more as he set her to fire with his spark, continuing what they had been doing all along.
"Rain Get out Here! You lazy lust crazed kit!" Came Kaden's loud angry shout outside. Rain froze looking down at her lover.
"Shit. Youko you got me in trouble again." She almost whined her long red hair draped over him sort of mixing with his silver hairs.
"You should learn to say no." He teased reaching up to peck her cheek.
"What fun would that be Youko?" She jumped off of him in a last ditch effort and display of will for she really didn't want to leave him and threw on a random black fighter's gi with a pair of boots like always she hated leaving her hat behind so wore a bandanna to make up for it's absence.
"Alright Kaden I'm here."
"Your Late." Kaden barked out in pure aggravation, making Rain know for sure that the training today would be more of a venting session for the vamp. Rain laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head in her 'oh shit I'm in trouble' kind of way.
"But Kaden I can explain… I was preparing for our sparing match and the raccoon ran into my bedroom and kicked me in the shin. I had to chase the cocky little shit face fourteen miles in the snow to the east before I could beat em' up! Then because it was dark and it's easier to travel in the day I put up camp and spent the night… I missed Youko so much that I fell asleep in his arms because I had not slept the night before " She said it all as fast as she thought it up and Kaden crossed her arms giving her former student a blank, 'You are so full of shit' look.
"You decided you could skip out on our training so you and Youko could screw." Kaden said in a flat even tone. Making Rain laugh.
"Yeah that's about it." Rain said finally telling the truth.
"Yeah Rain lying is bad for your health…"(1) Kaden slipped into fighting stance.
"I tend to do a lot of things that are bad for my health now days." Rain grinned as she fell into her own stance.
"Ya might want to be careful about that Rai, your not getting any taller."
"That's just not nice!" Rain yelled happily charged in for the attack, her fist raised high in the air the vamp turned slightly grabbing the kitsune's arm and turning it behind her back making the fox whimper in the pain as her shoulder popped and cracked with the pressure being applied by the vamp.
"Fucking jerk!" Rain yelled dislocating her the limb and tearing herself from the hold. Kaden laughed watching Rain slam her bone back into place and bite down because of the pain. This kit was the most stubborn person she'd met in over nine hundred years. Rain came at her again this time with a series of kicks she called the Pick Pocket landing all six of the kicks for the first time since she came across the move. Kaden was thrown back but landed on her feet with a smirk.
"That was a good shot Mini Kitsune…You won't do it again." she smirked and changed her stance. Rain chuckled at her opponent's smirk, sparing with Kaden was fun. Kaden jumped back into action, flinging her spring loaded daggers at the kitsune, who growled switching to her faster red wolf form witch had a large scar right above it's right front leg on it's chest, evidence of Rain's still strong hate for Kikyo. She ran quick as she could, dogging the projectiles, getting close to the vamp to bit her arm with her even sharper now fangs.
"Let go!" Kaden growled shaking her now bloody arm.
Growl
"LET GO!"
Snarl
"NOW!" Kaden yelled electrifying her arm to send the fox into a tree satisfied when she heard Rain yelp upon hitting her head on a near by tree. Rain reverted back.
Kaden laughed at the younger woman, extending her arm to help her up.
"You haven't used that form in over 200 years Mini kitsune… it's untrained and unpracticed."
"Yeah Yeah I know lets just go get something to eat." Rain said walking towards the bar.
"You eat.. I'll stick to blood wine." Kaden laughed walking alongside her old friend.
"Kaden, Rain get the others… Sesshoumaru wants us at the castle right now!" Duo yelled running up to his mate.
"What's wrong Duo?" Kaden asked just as confused as Rain was.
"Snow was attacked… this means potential war." Duo replied wearing the same worried face Rain and Kaden now wore.
'Please let them be wrong… the evil… I should have been able since it before.'
sleep with one eye open
gripping your pillow tight
-O- Two nights ago
Rain sat on a high cliff in solitude sitting salient in the moonless night. In her concentration sparks flew and danced on her shoulders and off her fisted hands. Yes this was meditation Rain was in all reality fighting her other selves the wolf and the fox, taking on both at one time… They were mean especially the wolf they punched her she punched back, they kicked she kicked back it was all just a power fest on Rain. Finally the wolf sat on a rock beckoning the other two to rest.
"Rain… we have to talk." The wolf said.
"Alright. What is it?"
"We have cause to be worried."
"We can feel his life."
"We recall his great power. We remember his great misdeeds."
"Evil is coming, we can smell it."
"It will rise again." and with that her hard kept concentration broke and she looked up to the cloudy night ski, a thousand thoughts now clouded her mind… what was to happen now… what evil was of there fear? She shrugged and walked home. It was getting late.
exit light
enter night
take my hand
off to never never land
-O- End Flashback
"Naraku is back…." Rain couldn't have just heard that from the neko.
"Nonsense… Rain, Kaden, and I put him where he belongs." Sesshoumaru told her.
"No Maru he attacked the palace and everything, I fought with him… his new body it's full blooded neko, my own nephew…" Snow almost pleaded.
" Kitten do you know how this sounds to us?" Sesshoumaru replied more gentle then before.
"The hanyou is dead and gone. We were all there, there is no way he could have been reincarnated a soul so black would be a dung beetle or something." added Kaden.
Rain had been wrestling the idea in her mind, listening to the others debate over it… it finally made since… Naraku… Tetsou… evil had risen and it was coming thus dragging Hell with it… Apollo help us all.
something's wrong,
shut the light
heavy thoughts tonight and they aren't of snow white
"She is not lying," Rain finally spoke up. "How could I not have thought of this until now? I had a little talk with my other selves and they were agreeing on something….that evil will raise again."
"Maru he's back and he's stronger than before." Snow declared watching the group fall silent.
"So… how are we going to go about getting rid of this Satan you speak of?" Zel piped up.
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, "Prepare the lands for war… Rain as my Head General and Allied I expect you to prepare your army and lead them as always… Kaden you take on a fleet of your own… Alex and Cy shall be needed in battle… and I want a draft notice sent out, every of age demon in my lands must join the fight…"
"I will send out one in my lands also my lord." Rain bowed and went to fetch her armor. It would be much need in days ahead.
"Everyone go to your homes and rest tomorrow we shall set out to prepare." was Sesshoumaru's final order of the night.
"Wait Sesshoumaru… you will need a blood room (hospital) if I were the wise lord Sesshoumaru I would not use my castle that my enemy knows of as such." The Vampire/ protector of time was always right about this kind of thing, how could Sesshoumaru say no?
After a little thought he turned to Rain.
"We will convert the bar to a hospital." He commanded.
"Yes sir." then he turned to the head healer Alex.
"Make it so.."
"Aye." After all was said and done the group all retired to there sheets and beds. Tonight there would be no bedroom gymnastics or the whispering of sweet nothings in the ears of lovers or mates. There would be no merry song of olden days, no joyful dance to barroom beats, no shameless flirting, no passed out regulars. Just sweet sweet sleep wrapped up in a lover's embrace. Who knows it could be there last.
dreams of war,
dreams of liars dreams of dragon's fire
and of things that will bite
sleep with one eye open
gripping your pillow tight
Rain was awaken early in the morning, before the by Shea… she was scuffed up a bit and looked worried… Rain made her some coffee and told her to talk.
"Lady Rain, There all dead."
"Who?"
"The kitsune… over half."
"When… Who… How?"
"Just before Apollo took his leave from the sky a terrible blackness shadowed our land… we were attacked. We fought hard but alas it was a worthless struggle. I'm sorry I tried but the neko he was too powerful… even with our superior army he rampaged our land… He is headed here… he found nothing in the Middle Lands." She explained. Rain was pissed but smiled to her comrade.
"It's alright… even if I was there it would have ended the same. You tried you stood your ground and fought for our home… you shall be rewarded."
"Rain-sama I never did it to be rewarded. I fight because I love the land of fire… I love the Middle lands."
"I know… and that's why you deserve it." Rain looked at a clock.
"Shea… I've got to prepare for a trip home… I'll be down with Youko in a little while, please wake up Tsurai, tell him to suit up and maybe if you ask nicely he will make you a fresh breakfast." She said heading up the stairs.
exit light
enter night
take my hand
off to never never land
-O- Upstairs
Youko held Rain's forehead to his own as the two stood both armored one in black one in red and smiling to each other speaking without word or thought.
"Rain… The skies are filled with good and bad."
"Mortals never know the things we do."
"Just be careful don't do anything rash… please don't make me chase you to hell." He told her kissing her quickly.
"Same for you big boy… " She kissed back, grabbed her weapons and walked down stairs.
now I lay me down to sleep
pray the lord my soul to keep
if I die before I wake pray the lord my soul to take
-O-At the Western Castle
Mana, Sesshoumaru and Snow's only child was to take over as Lady of the lands while her parents went on the war path. She was a beauty… that was for sure… Smart too, every once in awhile Rain thought she saw Shippo steal a glance, or smile like Youko at her… Nawh… he wouldn't want Sesshoumaru to kill him…it couldn't be. At least that's what she thought.
Everyone was there with was much to do before the gathering of a force…
"I'll catch you when you fall Mana…" 'Was that Shippo?'
"Behave son… this is Lord Sesshoumaru's home."
"Yes Mama…"
"Everybody Move out!" Sesshoumaru yelled starting our vast migration…
hush little baby, don't say a word
and never mind that noise you heard
it's just the beast under your bed
in your closet,
in your head
-O- In Rain's lands
Rain and Youko dismounted their horses and walked briskly to through the gates, the smell of blood coated the fields and the sound of tears echoed in her mind. She tried not to hear them, the tears of lover's and mates of the dead. The pain that her people felt could be cut like a hot knife through butter at this moment… To say the least she was now out for this demon's blood more then anything she wanted to feel his life fleeing from her claws as she let go every brutal, loathing, sadistic feeling go channeling her wrath on one single foe… Yes she was very pissed.
"Isaak , Send out two notices, one a draft to all of age demons in the land and the other a death ceremony at sundown today behind the statue of Apollo in Ember. FALLOUT!" She ordered grabbing all the maps in the war room.
"Yes Ma'am!" He barked stepping back once, giving an about-face and getting to work.
"Lady Rain when are you going to address the troops?" She asked holding a large stack of maps and charts. Rain looked at the clock.
"Now actually…" With that she walked to the balcony of her father's old room, she now used as her own.
"My fellow Gunji warriors, we are the great red horde, we are the greatest army of all the five lands, and we have now the opportunity to prove it to the world that we are what we clam to be! Not only to prove our raw power do we march off into battle against the dragon of darkness, but to honor our fallen with revenge against the murderer… So now we hear thunder in the west as he moves forward… and Sesshoumaru calls upon our help… we stand to the call with fisted claws raised high in the name of victory! Huzzah I say let us have them begging on bended knees for a mercy we shall never give! Tonight we march to meet the great dog demon and together our armies shall be as one in the name of our golden rule… VICTORY I say let us grasp it in our claws and fight like we were always meant to!" With her speech done and over she bowed at the waist smiling when the cheering started… Yes the reds did really love a good fight.
exit light
enter night
grain of sand
-O- Death Ceremony
Rain stood in front of most of the kitsune population who was alive, facing the dead as they all were laid on beds of hay as far as the eye could see… Kashmir who now hung around Youko more then Rain was on her shoulder as she took a deep breath and spoke up in a sore numbness.
"As Apollo parks his chariot in the east and the day turns into blessed night I light this fire pyre with the strength and the power to set weary sprits free from broken bodies that no longer be but will be once more as Apollo sees fit. Warriors bow your heads in silence, honor our fallen brothers and sisters for there sacrifice, there were none so great as they to give us there lives and as we say good-bye it is in vain for their spirits are with us in the sunshine… for they be alive in a memory that remains. Farewell my kinsmen, farewell my family, farewell my friends un till the bell tolls and we meet again." Rain snapped to attention, gave the order to fire, and stood back watching the flames clam there flesh… She thought of Youko who sat right beside her in his black armor as the tears and cries of the mates and bonded lover's of the dead entered her mind Tetsou's attack on her lands took over half the population and most of these people now standing in front of her would be dead with in the next two months… She couldn't help but wonder. Could she survive that deep of a loss? Youko seemed to have read her mind because he turned to smile at her and grasped her hand in his own it was moments like these she wished she'd just bite him already. Oh war sound your drums I am ready for you…
exit light
enter night
take my hand
we're off to never never land
Rain: Well there it was. (1) Kaden says this all the time.
Kaden: Remember to review.
Snow: Your reviews are like batteries to a- uh never mind just review.
Zel: ….. Hear no evil speak no evil.
Naraku: Hey what's up.
Zel: WOOOO! Naraku! -Clomps Naraku-
Cy: -Laughing- She doesn't seem to have a problem with seeing evil…