Chapter 6: Sayonara, Aishiteru

Kuronue raised his eyes to the heavens as the voices of his two friends echoed in the vast cavern. He chuckled ruefully, trust that kitsune to choose someone as stubborn as he is to be his mate... It had been more than six months since the young youkairenji came to live with them and more than two months since the kitsune finally took her as his mate and he had never seen the kitsune more happier and content in all his life. He rolled his eyes yet again as Botan and Kurama yelled at each other as they entered the room he was currently in.

"Give me my due!! Kuso!! Kurama!! I just want a chance to see my family once again!!"

Amber eyes sparkled dangerously, "I said, NO! Which part of no don't you get, onna?!"

Botan faced him defiantly and tilted her head a notch higher to glare at him directly in the eye, "The part where I don't get to go home!"

Kurama clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, this problem had started when Botan requested for her to go home and visit her family. He had told her no. Not because he didn't want her to see them, but because he was afraid that they would take her away from him. In as much that he would like to deny it, the woman meant a lot to him and he didn't know what he would do if she was taken away from him. Before he could open his mouth to argue, he heard Kuronue's amused filled voice from across them.

"Just let her go, kitsune… your screams echoing throughout the lair is enough to deafen me completely, besides, it's not as if she's going to leave you completely."

Kurama's ears twitched at that as he glared at his friend, who has just voiced out his greatest fear. Botan, on the other hand blinked at Kuronue in shock and whirled to look at Kurama directly. When she looked at him, she felt the world give way beneath her feet. He wasn't going to say it, but it seems that her that the kitsune was loathe to let her leave because of that exact reason. He eyes softened as she looked at him.

"Please, Kurama… I just want to see them again…it's not as if I'm going to leave you…" she whispered softly, stepping closer to him and wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his chest. "I just want to visit them… and you can come for me anytime you want to…"

Gritting his teeth, he sighed and wrapped his arms around her possessively. "They won't let you go back to me… I'm a youkai remember? Not to mention I've already got a reputation for being ruthless…"

She shook her head softly. "Doesn't matter. You told me that I belong to you, ne? They would have to accept that whether they liked it or not."

Kurama looked down at the woman in his arms and back to his friend. Kami help me… if anything happens to her… his eyes glittered dangerously. She was right, she belonged to him, and if anyone would try to take her away from him, they would truly know what it means to face the infamous Kurama Youko's wrath.

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Standing at the edge of the forest clearing, Kurama eyed the woman beside him and the village gates before them and his clawed hand tightened reflexively on her waist. He had a bad feeling about this and he was loathe to leave her alone... as if something was going to happen to her once he left her alone.

Botan tilted her head and watched the youkai that had claimed her as his and smiled ruefully. Though makai legends had portrayed him to be cold and ruthless, the youko she grown to love was a completely different person… she sighed and looked longingly back to her home. The only reason why she was going back was to say goodbye to her family. Nothing really was tying her to this place… all she was to the people in their village was a priestess and nothing more. The only people who saw her as more was her parents, her little brother and her friend Kitana… Kentaro… Kentaro was just a friend to her, her supposed to be bethrothed, but just a friend to her nonetheless. She smiled and squeezed the hand of the beautiful youkai standing beside her. "I'll be waiting for you until you come back for me…" she whispered softly

Kurama watched the woman beside him and lowered his face and captured her lips in a purely possessive kiss that left both of them breathless afterwards. Cupping her face he nuzzled her neck and smirked as he saw the mark that he had placed upon her. "I'll be back in one week."

Grinning from ear to ear, Botan nodded and hurried towards her old home, but before she can enter the gates, she smiled happily at him and waved her hand to him. "I'll wait for you!" she called back before she ran inside the gates. Kurama watched her until he saw her family flock over her, tears of happiness running in their eyes. Satisfied that his woman was safe, the kitsune disappeared from the shadows to continue with his own personal matters knowing that he would be back in a week to re-claim his woman.

Unfortunately, what he didn't know was that it would be the last time that he would be able to see her.

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"What the hell did you mean that you've been with a youkai all this time?!"

Botan winced the loudness of her father's voice. She chuckled ruefully, her parents were overjoyed when they had seen their daughter again, and her brother had nearly knocked the breath from her when he lauched himself to her lithe frame. Right now, she was sitting in front of her parents with her brother curled up beside her and his head on her lap.

"Aa… when those three youkai had attacked me and Amanoma-chan, I really thought that it would be the end of us, but then the kitsune that I had taken care of, protected me and gave Amanoma a chance to escape." She then chuckled at the memory as her brother lifted his head from her lap to look at her quizzically.

"Ne, nee-san, what had happened to that kitsune?"

Smiling softly down at her brother, Setsuna noted the wistful look that had passed her daughter's face before it disappered. She frowned slightly, What does that mean? She thought worriedly as her blue haired daughter answered the question softly but her answer was not what they had all expected.

"I guess you were right all along… the kitsune I took care of was a youkai… but he was the one that protected and took care of me." Looking at her parents, she flushed softly before continuing, "That kitsune who transformed and killed those youkai was none other than, Kurama Youko."

Setsuna gasped at her daughter's words, "Are you saying that you spent all of your time with him?!"

"Didn't you try to escape? Did he hurt you, did he threaten you?!" Tasuki spoke at the same time. The only one who didn't say anything was Amanoma, who was looking at the curiously before his lips quirked and then when his sister looked down at him, he let himself go to a full blown laughter that surprised their parents. Botan merely shook her head and knocked her brother's head softly. "Baka." She muttered under her breath.

Amanoma grinned from ear to ear completely ignoring his parents dark looks, "So, what was he like nee-san? I always had a feeling that that kitsune looked at you differently, somewhat like… ummm…" he muttered for a while before continuing with a grin on his face, "Like the way Kentaro looked at you!"

Botan merely flushed at her brother's words and winced at the glare that she was currently receiving from her parents. "Daijobou…" she told her parents as she looked outside the window to the forest wistfully, imagining him to be standing there, watching over her… beautiful and deadly. Setsuna looked at her husband worriedly for she realized what her daughter's look meant. It seems that with the short time that she had spent with the youko, the kitsune thief had managed to steal their daughter's heart.

"Kurama never hurt me, he actually took care of me, protected me… and even taught me how to use my youkai powers." She added the last grinning at her parents and then continuing on, "Well, even though he did take care of me, that doesn't mean I was very cooperative back at the beginning. I kept trying to escape but he always caught me until I myself got tired of escaping and just accepted my fate there with him."

Tasuki looked at his wife and sighed, somehow he knew he was not going to like the answer to his next question… none of them would. "How were you able to come home now?"

Botan looked at her parents and her brother solemly, "He didn't let me go… he allowed me to go back here to visit you… but he's going to come back after a week to get me."

Amanoma blinked, "Eh? Demo, what the heck does that mean? We can protect you now! You don't have to go back to him…"

Botan smiled sadly at her brother, "Iie… I'm not going back because he's forcing me to come back, I'll come back to him because I want to… because I love him."

"Whattttt???" Amanoma stared at his sister as if she lost her marbles, "Demo… he's a youkai and… and… how about Kentaro-san?"

Botan sighed, "Kentaro-san is not for me, I've always known that... I've never felt anything for him than just friendship… that's why it was hard for me to accept the engagement as well…"

Setsuna sighed. "There's no way that we would be able to change your mind with this, is there?" she asked her daughter wistfully as she held her husband's hands tightly in her own.

Botan shook her head sadly, "Iie…it's already much too late… I've already given my heart to him… and… anou…"

Tasuki sighed, "He's already claimed you, has he not?"

Coloring brightly, their daughter ducked her head and nodded softly. Setsuna sighed and shook her head, she had always known that their daughter resented her powerful reiki and her engagement to Kentaro, "Are you happy with him?" at her words, her daughter looked up at her and smiled brightly and knew that it was finally time to let her go. She smiled sadly, "As long as you're happy…"

"Then there's nothing wrong with it. We'll take care of Kentaro and his family…" Tasuki finished for his wife, as painful as it was, he knew that there was nothing else that they would be able to do. Their daughter had already made her decision.

Amanoma looked sadly down on the tatami mat, "Does that mean that I'll never see you again, nee-san?"

Botan looked at her brother in shock and shook her head vigorously, "Iie! I'll come and visit you every now and then, and maybe when I can persuade that stubborn kitsune, he can visit with me as well!" At her words, her brother brightened and jumped into her embrace happily.

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One week later….

Botan smiled as she walked by the stream, today, Kurama was coming back for her. She could barely wait, she had missed him so much! She didn't know how much she had come to long for his company, how much dependent she had become of him. Her life had become peaceful within the past few days, but she also longed for her lover. She sighed, she was very happy when she had seen Kitana and was relieved that Kentaro didn't hate her, all in all, her life was turning out the way she wanted it to be. Stretching a bit, she turned quickly when she heard a twig snap behind her. Relaxing when she saw that it was just Kentaro, she smiled at him, oblivious of the dark aura that surrounded him.

"Kentaro-san! What are you doing here?" she asked him cheerfully.

Kentaro looked at her, all sunshine and beauty and gritted his teech and clenched his fists. I wasn't fair. She was his to begin with, why did she give herself to some unworthy youkai? He had been shocked when her parents had come forward and told them that the engagement between him and Botan was off. His parents had accepted gracefully, but him… he merely kept quiet but his anger and hatred was starting to consume him. He stared at the very object of his despair.

When he finally looked at her, Botan was forced a step back, surprise and fear making her falter as she spoke. "K..Kentaro-san?" the hate and fury in his stark gaze was enough to frighten anyone, and when he spoke, Botan knew exactly what he was angry about.

"It's not fair… you belong to me." His fists tightened by his side, "Why did you choose that worthless kitsune? Why, Botan?" he growled out to her making her back from him as he matched her step by step. Botan gasped him fear when his youkai blood came to the fore and blocked everything else… before she could run and scream for help, Kentaro had managed to lock his arms around her neck and hauled her roughly to his body and pushed her roughly to the ground as he covered her mouth with his hand. Too stunned and surprised at her friend, she wans't able to summon any of her plants to defend herself, even as his hand closed around her throat and slowly chocked her.

"If I can't have you… no one will!" he growled and tightened his hand on her throat blocking her air supply. Yelping in surprise when a vine lodged on his shoulder and threw him off of her, he yanked the vine from his shoulder and watched as the blue haired youkairenji gasped and struggled to run away from him. His eyes turned blood red and a grasped the dagger on his waist and ran after her.

Botan gasped as she struggled to hurry towards their home, fear making her run harder and faster. She had not expected Kentaro to act that way, he had almost chocked her to death when she was able to summon a vine and haul him of her. Just as she saw the clearing back to their home, she screamed her father's name just as she felt pain burst from her back. Gasping, her body was swiftly turned around to meet her assailant's blood red gaze, before she could utter a word, he plunged the dagger he held to her heart. Before everything turned black, tears fell from her amethyst orbs as she remembered her lover's face.

Kurama…

Kentaro gasped as he let her body drop to the ground, her amethyst eyes, wide and unseeing, her blood forming a pool around her body. He looked down at his own blood soaked hands and threw the dagger to the side and ran off. He had to get her blood off of him. Unknown to him, Amanoma had heard his sister scream and ran towards the commotion. When he arrived, he saw his sister drop to the ground lifelessly and Kentaro throw something away and ran off. His eyes blurred as he hurried towards his sister's body and nearly puked at the sight that met him. The sister that he had sworn to protect was on the ground, her beautiful peach and green kimono was now soaked with her crimson blood. Her azure locks was also dreanched with her blood and her eyes was wide and unseeing, tears fell to his eyes as he took her shoulders and shook her, trying to wake her. He was sobbing so hard that he hadn't noticed a figure standing behind him, until someone dressed in white kneeled beside him and took his sister's body in his arms. Eyes widening in surprise, Amanoma realized exactly who was beside him. From the pristine white robes that was now being soaked with blood, alabaster skin, lean figure, amber eyes, silver white hair to the ears and tail.

Kurama had hurried to come to the yukairenji village, anticipation humming in his blood. It had already been a week and he was anxious to claim his mate once again. Kuronue had laughed at his attitude but he could only growl at his friend and sped off, but as he neared the village, he sensed that something was wrong. Hurrying, he remembered the feeling he had before he left Botan… Please don't let anything happen to her… Entering the youkairenji grounds, Kurama hurried towards this lover's home and was stopped by a fierce stench of blood in the air. His chest constricted.

Botan's blood.

Hurrying, he stopped and his eyes blurred when he saw Amanoma kneeling and sobbing before a lifeless body. Standing behind the sobbing kid, Kurama felt his own world shift. Her image flitted through his eyes, Botan laughing, Botan glaring at him… and the way she looked when she came right beneath him. Dropping soundlessly beside the kid, he took her lifeless body in his arms and sobbed. For the first time in his life, Kurama Youko felt bereft. Tightening his hold on her, he nuzzled her neck and sobbed. Why? Why did you leave me? I told you I'd be back in a week… why didn't you wait for me? His hold tightened as he sobbed harder and held onto her body harder.

Dimly he heard shouts coming from behind him, sensed people running towards them, sensed Botan's parents and heard her mother scream. His heart wrenched again. He had finally chosen a mate… only to have her taken away from him. Eyes turning cold, Kurama looked at the face of his beloved and whispered a promise to her. A promise of vengeance to the person who had taken her life, and as he slowly closed her eyes, he made another vow. I will never take anyone as my mate aside from you… you will be the only one for me…

As he stood up, he saw Botan's mother sobbing uncontrollably as she watched them, her arms locked around her still sobbing son, her husband stood behind her, holding her shoulders, supporting her. Stopping before her father, Kurama gave her lifeless body to him and as Tasuki took his daughter's body, the kitsune took something from his blood soaked robes and placed it in his daughter's neck.

Tasuki's eyes widened when he noticed the jewel that now hung from his daughter's neck. The jewel of memories… his eyes snapped back up to meet bleak amber one still looking at his daughter, He reallly does love her… When the youkai lifted his head, he couldn't help suppress the shiver that passed through him at the cold dangerous glint in his eyes. Eyes that promised retribution. Before the kitsune left, Amanoma lifted his face from his mother's chest, "It was Kentaro!"

Kurama stopped and slowly looked at the small youkairenji. Eyes glinting dangerously as he watched the young kid being shaken by his mother. "Amanoma! What are you talking about?" she gasped, the villagers around them gasped as well, surprised at his words. "It was Kentaro!" he repeated, tears still streaming down his face, "I saw him! I heard onee-san scream father's name, when I got here, I saw Kentaro drop her body and throw something…" he broke of as he scrambled to find whatever it was that Kentaro had thrown away before he left his sister. Finding it, he grabbed the dagger and showed it to the kitsune. "He threw this away before he ran off." He said, his voice filled with anger. The people around them gaped and talked uncontrollably, he looked at the kid and understood what the kid felt. And in an instant, the legendary Kurama Youko disappeared leaving the other youkairenji in his midst.

"I hope he finds him… I hope he kills him slowly…" Amanoma whispered, his hands clenched on the dagger as tears streamed down his face. Setsuna looked at her son and back to her husband who was now holding their daughter in his arms. For once, Setsuna felt nothing but hatred to the person who took the life of their daughter… as she stood up, the other youkairenji were surprised to hear her voice agreeing to her sons words.

"Yes… I hope that Youko would make him suffer. Just as Kentaro made all of us suffer by taking away what is most precious to us... this I hope to the heavens."

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AN: Hello minna!! Hehehe, I guess it's been a long time since I was able to update! I've been so busy with work that I barely had time to rest as well… anyweis, this is the sixth chapter and I guess this is going to be the second to the last or maybe the third to the last chapter. Hope you guys liked this chappie, oh and by the way, the lemon sub-story before this chappie is going to be posted on It's title is "Claiming you" it's under my original pen name aoi mizu ryu. Going to wait for your revies minna!!

Hehehehe!!! By the way, thanks a lot for the reviews!! Hope to hear more from you!! Ja ne!!

Aoi mizu no tenshi