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The Fall
KuronuexBotan
The sun was warm on her back and a gentle breeze ruffled through her hair. The soft blue strands kept blowing forward and falling into her eyes, forcing her to continuously push them back and, thus, steer her oar with one hand. This wasn't too dangerous, though, since Botan wasn't flying so much as drifting through the sky, letting the sultry Makai wind push her along like a celestial sailboat.
The languid pace was relaxing, and combined with the heat of the day it made Botan altogether drowsy. Which was dangerous, because this was the demon realm and she really needed to be alert! Especially because she was... well.. lost.
Botan sighed and tilted her back, blinking up at the heavens and cursing her luck. She really wasn't that dizzy, it was just that these things seemed to happen to her with an alarming rate of consistency. The deity frowned and shook her fist skyward.
"What am I, fate's plaything?" she grumped. A particularly strong gust of wind pushed her oar forward and sent her flight-frizzed hair into her face.
Frustrated, her hand dropped back down to push the offending locks back where they belonged.
Honestly, it wasn't as if she was hopelessly lost (though, with her luck, she probably would be by the end of the day), she did have her communicator tucked safely into her obi and could, if necessary, call Koenma and ask for directions.
But then her boss would laugh at her for getting lost and, knowing the tyke-sized god, he would harp on the incident for the rest of the week. Botan really didn't want to deal with that, so calling Koenma would be her last resort.
The ferry girl supposed that she could always stop and ask someone for directions, but the only people around to avail her were demons. Demons were scary. They had claws. And really, really sharp teeth. And nasty tempers. The blue-haired girl shuddered and gripped her oar tighter, remembering all the stories she had heard of evil Makai demons attacking innocent travelers and rending them limb from limb before feasting on their tender flesh.
It was a rather macabre thought for the normally bubbly Botan, and she glanced furtively around, shivering, as though she might catch sight of one of these flesh-eating demons.
The expansive Makai jungle was spread out beneath her, all lush green trees and tropical flowers. It had a steamy, mysterious beauty that tugged at the deity's curiosity, but through the thick foliage she could see a shadowy, dark interior. There were places so thick with trees that the sun had a difficult time getting through to the jungle floor, which meant under the bright, cheerful canopy was as a dark, misty underworld. One that probably hid masses of people-eating demons!
The ferry-girl gulped and pulled her oar a little higher, until she was ensconced in a fluffy cloud. The thick, white cumulus swirled around her, blocking her view of the jungle below her – and also the blue of the sky above. She sat there a moment, steadying herself.
"Geeze, Botan. There you go, scaring yourself!" she scolded quietly. "There are no flesh-eating demons down there! There's nothing but trees and flowers and... um... fluffy white bunnies... and other cute little animals..." Her purple eyes narrowed uncertainly and she looked below her as though she could see the evil jungle through the cloud.
She was having a difficult time expelling the images of bloodthirsty demons from her head. The deity squared her shoulders and pulled her oar to a stop.
"Enough's enough! Stop daydreaming and pull yourself together! It's time to get back on course, Botan!"
Botan nodded to herself, pleased with her pep-talk. She gripped the handles of her oar with new resolve, and set a course northward (at least she thought it was north... Makai was different from earth).
There was a break in the cloud and sunlight spilled in around her, creating a rainbow effect in the air before her. A smile broke out on her lips and she giggled at the good omen. Things were going to be okay after all! She was going to get back on track and navigate her way through the demon skies just fine!
Suddenly, something black hurdled out of the cloud in front of her, shattering through the delicate rainbow and plowing into her with such force that she was knocked off her oar.
The deity grunted as her breath was knocked from her and had the strange sensation of her stomach flipping. And then she was falling – pink tangled in white, blue snagging in black, something warm and solid spiraling down with her, wrapped around her and oh kami those trees were rushing toward her too quickly where was her oar --!
A loud crash and a distant pain and then darkness.
Something was tickling her nose. And something hurt like hell. Oh, wait, that was her body.
Groaning, Botan reached up and rubbed her face, wincing as her entire being cramped in protest.
Purple eyes slowly blinked open. A green blur greeted her, which hazily revealed itself to be grass as her vision cleared. She stared at the grass for several minutes, wrinkling her nose at the ticklish sensation it caused when it brushed against her face.
Carefully, she did a mental inventory. Toes? Ouch, yes. Legs? Double ouch, but both there. Torso? Judging from the massive ache in her chest, and the fact that her heart was pounding – it was definitely there. Arms too. And the colossal headache as well as the inner dialog assured her that her head was attached firmly if painfully to her shoulders.
"I'm alive," the deity mumbled, making a face and spitting dirt and a little of blood (eeew!) from her mouth.
"Definitely alive, but more than a little battered I'm afraid." An amused voice drawled from beside her.
Alarmed, Botan sat up quickly, scrambling to face the speaker. Unfortunately a whole bunch of blood rushed from her head and she promptly fell back, dizzy and her vision dimming. A strong hand (claws!) grabbed her shoulder and steadied her.
"Easy! You're going to black out again!" a smooth voice rumbled in her ear, and two long-fingered (clawed!) hands gripped her and gently propped her up against a tree. The rough bark scratched her through her kimono, and she winced. As her eyes cleared, she found herself looking up at the pale face of a demon.
Instantly, she tensed, her wide, frightened eyes meeting the concerned blue orbs of the man before her. Quickly, she glanced over him, taking in the scratches on his cheek and the bruises on his pale arms. Long, dark hair fell like a silk curtain around his handsome face and down over his alabaster shoulders. Then she noticed that stretched behind him were a large pair of dark, leathery wings. A memory sparked brightly in her still dazed mind.
"You broke the rainbow."
The demon blinked at her, then a smile slowly spread across his full lips. A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest and she felt the vibrations tickle through her.
"I think you might have hit your head harder than I thought."
Her mind was clearing and she frowned at him. "You knocked me off my oar!" She accused, poking her finger against his chest. The demon's smile widened and he released her, holding up his hands in a placating gesture.
"Guilty, I'm afraid!" he grinned. "I'm not used to air traffic, you see, and I wasn't on the look out for pretty ferry girls as well I should have been."
Botan's frown deepened and the charming demon faltered.
"I'm very sorry for knocking you out of the sky. Though to be fair you gave me quite a scare as well."
The deity blinked at him, her hands dropping into her lap.
"I did?"
The youkai grinned. "I'm pretty much the king of the sky around here," he stretched his wings out for emphasis. They cast a dark shadow over her and Botan shrank away from the youkai, wrapping her arms around herself. The demon didn't seem to notice and continued, "Imagine my surprise when on my daily perimeter sweep – which are pretty dull – I tumble upon (or perhaps into) a lovely reikaii ferry girl who happened to be in my flightpath through the usually very empty sky. I was, of course, a bit startled."
Botan smiled nervously. "Oh... I see..."
The demon grinned toothily at her and she paled at the sight of all those glistening white teeth.
The deity mumbled something. Blinking, the winged youkai leaned in closer.
"What was that?"
"Are you going to eat me?" The blue-haired deity squeaked.
The demon blinked again. They stared at each other. The dark youkai gave her a bemused look and rubbed his forehead.
"Are you serious?" He deadpanned. Botan nodded meekly.
"I've heard stories... of... um... demons eating people..."
Again, the demon chuckled, his blue eyes fixed intently on her. Somehow, Botan didn't feel comforted.
"Look," he smirked, "You may look... delectable..." he paused, slowly letting his eyes roam over her in a way that made the ferry girls' cheeks flush and had her squirming uncomfortably, "but I have no desire to eat you," he finished, but added with a leer, "At least, not in the way those particular stories depict."
Botan blushed darkly and glared indignantly. "You!" She choked on her words, too angry to speak. The demon laughed and rocked back on his heels, his blue eyes glittering with merriment.
"Urgh!" She huffed, pulling herself to her feet and stomping away. She heard the demon scrambling behind her.
"Wait!" He called, still laughing, "Wait up! Ferry girl, come on..."
Long-fingered hands gripped her shoulders and she angrily shrugged them off, continuing to storm away.
"Come on," He said again, his voice now soothing, though echoes of his dark laughter still reverberated through the trees. "You'll get lost on your own!"
The deity stopped a moment, thoughtful. Darn it all, the youkai was right. Damn him for being so... so... rational! Finally, she turned back toward him, only to find that he was right behind her. She jumped a bit, but his clawed hands were on her shoulders in an instant to steady her. She was looking square at the youkai's chest – and a very well muscled chest it was, peeking from under the black vest he wore.
Quickly deciding that gawking would get her no where, she craned her neck back to look the demon in the face. He was a lot taller than she'd realized when they had been sitting next to each other. Botan was a tall girl herself, but this youkai was pushing seven feet! She blinked up at him and he gave her a charming smile in return.
"Okay," She sighed, defeated.
The bat-winged youkai grinned and stepped back. She watched curiously as he removed the strange buckled hat he was wearing and bowed to her. He gazed at her through a curtain of dark hair and she caught a glimmer of bone-white canine as he smirked.
"My name is Kuronue. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He straightened and placed his hat back on his head. "And what are you called, lovely?"
Botan blushed again, and fisted her hands in her kimono sleeves. Darn this man for being charming and attractive! Why couldn't he be scary like all the other demons? Then she would know how to behave around him (scream and run away)!
"Botan," She said after a moment, "Ferry girl first class of Reikaii."
"Botan!" Kuronue beamed, taking her hand, "What a beautiful name!" He leaned down, pressing warm lips against her knuckles. The deity fidgeted and blushed before quickly pulling her hand away.
"Yes, well!" She said, stumbling over her words, "We should really... Get out of here and stuff..." She blinked, then paled. "Oh no! Have you seen my oar?!" She threw herself at the startled youkai and gripped his vest, her purple eyes dewy with tears. "Koenma will kill me if I lose another one!" she wailed. "I have to find it!"
Kuronue chuckled nervously as he gazed down at blue-haired girl. She had mood swings like a demoness in heat! Tentatively, he patted the top of her head. "There, there," he said soothingly. "Don't worry about your oar." He reached behind him and pulled at something under his wing. A long wooden handle emerged and Botan immediately latched onto it.
"Cumulus!" She cried, "you're okay!" She hugged the oar to herself, smiling happily and cooing in soft tones to the wooden paddle. Kuronue stared, then laughed.
"I think you really did hit your head too hard..."
Botan looked up sharply and glared. "If I did, it's your fault!" Kuronue smiled nervously, and after a moment she softened toward him. After all, he did rescue her oar. Speaking of which...
"How did you get Cumulus?" She asked curiously. The demon grinned wryly.
"Well, after our tumble to terra firma, you blacked out. A moment later, 'Cumulus' joined the decent and clobbered me in the head so hard that I nearly joined you." He rubbed the back of his head gingerly.
Botan smirked at him. "Well, that's what you get for knocking me out of the sky, demon."
He pouted. "How cruel. I didn't do it on purpose you know. And I did keep you from breaking your neck."
She poked him in the chest. "You wouldn't have had to keep me from breaking anything if you hadn't, you know, flown into me!"
Kuronue sighed and wrapped his his fingers around her wrist, pulling the prodding finger away. "Touche, lovely."
Botan smiled triumphantly, only to falter a moment later.
"Umm... so... now what?"
The bat demon grinned and pulled something glittery from his pocket. It was a ruby pendulum which he flicked toward her. Hypnotically, her eyes followed the jewel. Kuronue's mischievous blue eyes studied her.
"Weeeelll..." he drawled. "You are on my territory... Technically, you're trespassing..." He smirked. "I could eat you..."
Botan paled and looked anxiously up at him. "I thought you said you didn't want to!" She squeaked. The demon laughed.
"Did I say that? I don't recall saying I couldn't eat you if I wanted..." He grinned toothily and chuckled as the deity trembled.
"That wouldn't be a nice thing to do," She huffed, "I mean, you already knocked me out of the sky and roughed me up – I think my rib might be broken by the way."
Kuronue dropped the cool act, pulling his pendulum back sharply so the chain wrapped firmly around his wrist as he stepped toward her, blue eyes softening in concern.
"Really? Where does it hurt?"
Botan jumped back and poked him firmly in the shoulder. "HAH! It was a trick! Someone who wanted to eat me wouldn't care if my rib was broken!"
Kuronue rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, you caught me. I don't want to eat you. But I could you know! So you'd better start being nicer to me or instead of showing you the way out I really WILL eat you!"
Botan faltered, giving him doubtful look. "You were going to show me the way out?"
The demon stared at her. "Of course. What did you think I was going to do?"
"Eat --"
Kuronue threw up his hands, "Oh for kami's sake, Botan! I'm not going to eat you!"
Botan paused, "Umm... rob me blind and leave me for dead."
Kuronue dropped his hands to his hips and regarded her, a frown on his full lips.
"You have a very low opinion of us, my lovely."
The deity shrugged, "I've collected a lot of souls from Makai, many of which were the victims of such attacks..."
The demon watched her solemnly, his blue eyes dark. Finally, he sighed. "I suppose many of my kind are... cruel... Perhaps I am as well... But I promise that I have no intention to eat you or leave you for dead."
Botan smiled brightly. "Okay! Let's go then!" Botan was a trusting person by nature, and it was actually rather tiresome being constantly suspicious of this demon. Besides, her gut told her that he was trustworthy, and several hundred years on the job had taught her to trust her gut.
The youkai blinked in surprise at her sudden mood swing, and smiled uncertainly.
"Alright... This way then..." He took the lead, picking a complicated path through the jungle. Botan followed close behind, chatting amiably and smiling. Kuronue glanced over his shoulder now and again to make sure she was okay, and to smile and answer her frequent questions.
Ten minutes later they stepped out of the shadowy canopy and into a small clearing bathed in sunlight.
"Here we are!" Kuronue announced. He stretched his wings out to their full extent, groaning in pain. "Kami... I think I sprained my wing..." He frowned. "I guess I won't be able to escort you all the way back up, Botan." he smiled. "Sorry about that!"
Botan smiled happily and shook her head. "That's okay, I can find my way from here. Thank you, Kuronue!" She pulled out her oar, when the demon suddenly reached out and took a hold of her wrist. Curiously, she looked up at the smirking demon.
"Now wait, lovely... Do you think I'd let you go without paying me for my services?"
Botan's heart dropped and she frowned. Had she misjudged this demon?
"You knocked me off my oar," She glared, "You owed me!"
He wagged the finger of his free hand, still grinning, "Now, now, Botan... I saved your life in the ensuing fall to earth. I didn't have to lead you out of the jungle on top of that!"
The deity pouted, looking sullenly up at the tall bat youkai.
"I don't have any money," She admitted grudgingly. Kuronue nodded, his blue eyes sparkling.
"I know."
Botan blinked. "You know? How do you know?"
Kuronue gave her a sheepish look and pulled her communicator from his pocket. "I might have gone through your stuff while you were passed out..."
"WHAAAAAT?!" Botan screeched, gripping her oar tightly.
"Yeah, I – OW!" The demon shook his head, dazed after the sudden whack to his noggin. That Cumulus sure was a sturdy little fellow – he ducked a second blow.
"Stop!" He sputtered, "Stop! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! OW!" Another whack and he reached out, grabbing her oar-wielding hand. "Stop!"
Botan looked angrily up at him and he went quiet. "I'm sorry," he said softly. Quietly, he tucked the communicator back into her obi. "I suppose we can't escape all our demon tendencies."
Botan watched him silently for several minutes. He did look rather ashamed. Again, her gut told her to trust him.
"Alright," she sighed. "I forgive you."
Kuronue brightened, his blue eyes fixed hopefully on her. "You do?" He released her wrist.
"Yes," She grumbled. "Just DON'T do it again! Or I'll have another go at you with Cumulus!" She shook her oar threateningly and the demon laughed.
"Understood." He smiled, "But... you still owe me."
Botan groaned. "I don't have any money, you know that!"
Kuronue smirked. "Who said anything about money?" He leaned over her. The deity's purple eyes went wide.
"Eh?"
Suddenly, a strong arm was wrapped around her waist, and a clawed hand tangled in her hair. Warm lips crushed her own and she was experiencing the dizzying sensation of falling all over again. Her knees went weak but the youkai supported her, gently pulling her closer to lean against him. Kuronue slowly parted her lips and slipped his tongue in her mouth, tangling it with hers. The ferry girl reached up, her hands fisting his dark hair and it slid like silk through her fingers. Slowly, languidly, he pulled away, his blue eyes dark and fixed on her.
"That is the payment I require, lovely," he murmured, his voice husky.
"Oh..." Botan was breathless. She blushed and the demon ran his thumb over her bottom lip, smirking. After a few minutes, he released her and Botan stood unsteadily in the clearing as he backed away.
"You'll come back and visit, won't you?" He asked, grinning.
"Um," Botan blushed, "I don't know if --"
"You'd better," Kuronue interrupted. "If you don't come visit me, I will come to you." His blue eyes were still fixed intently on her, and her cheeks flushed darker.
"The palace is very well guarded, I don't think they'd let you in."
Kuronue chuckled and winked. "My dear, I am a very sly demon. Trust me, I can find a way into your room without anyone ever knowing. And once I'm there, I can't promise that I won't... eat you..." He flashed his teeth at her and she turned as red as a tomato.
The youkai laughed and backed into the jungle. "Until next time, Botan-chan..." He cooed.
As the deity took to the sky, a thrill of excitement left her trembling, clinging to her oar. She had the feeling that she would be seeing the dark-haired bat demon again soon. Very soon. And the thought gave her the most delicious feeling – just like falling.
Obviously, KuronueXBotan! Yaaay! I LOVE writing Kuronue. So charming!
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